dill

• IPA^(key): /dɪl/
• Rhymes: -ɪl

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Dill, Antheum graveolens, an herb.

From Middle English dile, from Old English dile (“dill, anise”); from Proto-Germanic *deliz, of uncertain, probably non-Indo-European origin, possibly a west European substrate.[1]

Cognate with Old Saxon dilli, Dutch dille, Swedish dill, German Dill.

dill (countable and uncountable, plural dills)

1. Anethum graveolens (the type species of the genus Anethum), a herb, the seeds of which are moderately warming, pungent, and aromatic, formerly used as a soothing medicine for children; also known as dillseed.
   • 1940, Rosetta E. Clarkson, Green Enchantments: The Magic Spell of Gardens, The Macmillan Company, page 253:

     The life of one plant would be affected by another. Rue was definitely hostile to basil, rosemary to hyssop, but coriander, dill and chervil lived on the friendliest of terms[.]

2. A cucumber pickled with dill flavoring.

   Synonym: dill pickle

• (herb): anet, dillseed, Peucedanum graveolens
• (type of pickle): dill pickle

dill (third-person singular simple present dills, present participle dilling, simple past and past participle dilled)

1. To cook or flavor with dill.
   • 2014, Anatoly (Tony) Kandiew, Red Devils, →ISBN, page 139:

     My mother would pickle them and dill them, and we still had an abundance of fresh vegetables left.

• cornichon
• cucumber
• gherkin
• graveolens
• pickled cucumber
• pickle

Variant of dull

dill (third-person singular simple present dills, present participle dilling, simple past and past participle dilled)

1. To still; to assuage; to calm; to soothe, as one in pain.
   • 1775, Robert Baillie, Letters and Journals: Written by the deceased Mr. Robert Baillie, Principal of the University of Glasgow, page 252:

     The noise of the Queen's voyage to France is dilled down ; no money for her furniture will be got in haste; and the Cardinal has no will of her mother.

   • 1829, Publications - Issue 25, Volume 2, page x:

     The innocent was punished. The gear is payed and the thieves dilled down.

   • 1829, John Spalding, James Skene, The History of the Troubles and Memorable Transactions in Scotland, page vii:

     The Provincial Assembly sits down. Dr. Guild moderator. Dr. Scroggie preaches. His sermon found faulty. It dills down.

   • 1890, Thomas Nield, Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of England: A Drama, page 23:

     And there is nought to call them back, while these Curmudgeon generals dill down in their fear.

   • 1938, Alexander Ross, Scot. Text S, page 195:

     That now the dinn o' it wad soon dill down, An' but a story at the last be found.

Perhaps a backformation from dilly (“silly”).

dill (plural dills)

1. (Australia, informal) A fool.
   • 2016, Robert G. Barrett, And De Fun Don't Done: A Les Norton Novel:

     He could go over and monster his way among the poms, but he was that drunk he'd probably only make a dill of himself.

• chapter DILL, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
• chapter DILL, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• dill on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Anethum graveolens on Wikispecies.Wikispecies
• Anethum graveolens on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons

From Old Norse dylja, from Proto-Germanic *dilja-, of uncertain, non-Indo-European origin, possibly a substrate.

• IPA^(key): /tɪlː/
• Rhymes: -ɪlː

dill n (genitive singular dills, no plural)

1. dill (Anethum graveolens)

From Old Swedish dil, from Old Norse dylja, from Proto-Germanic *dilja-, of uncertain, non-Indo-European origin, possibly a substrate.

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dill c (uncountable)

1. the herb dill