ail

/eɪl/

/eɪl/

Other forms: ailing; ails; ailed

The verb ail means to be sick or unwell — or cause to be so. If you feel a general malaise, someone may ask what ails you, though you may just need a vacation from work or school.

The verb ail is used for things that are metaphorically unwell or unhealthy. Politicians, for example, will often tell their constituents that the only cure for what ails the country is to vote for them. Ail is used when referring to non-specific illnesses. So you are sick with the flu, or troubled by allergies, but you are not ailing because you know what's wrong. It's when you're sick but it hasn't been diagnosed that you are ailing.

Definitions of ail

1. verb

   be ill or unwell
   type of:

   hurt, suffer

   feel pain or be in pain
2. verb

   cause bodily suffering to and make sick or indisposed
   synonyms: pain, trouble

   types:

   break out, erupt, recrudesce

   become raw or open

   type of:

   hurt

   give trouble or pain to
3. noun

   aromatic bulb used as seasoning
   synonyms: garlic

   types:

   clove, garlic clove

   one of the small bulblets that can be split off of the axis of a larger garlic bulb

   type of:

   flavorer, flavoring, flavourer, flavouring, seasoner, seasoning

   something added to food primarily for the savor it imparts