chill

noun

• 1an unpleasant feeling of coldness in the atmosphere, one’s surroundings, or the body:there was a chill in the air the draughty chill of the castle heat exhaustion symptoms include nausea, chills, dizziness and dehydration
• a feverish cold:we had better return before you catch a chill he was confined to bed with a severe chill
• a coldness of manner:the chill in relations between France and its former colony
• a depressing influence:his statements have cast a chill over this whole country
• a sudden and powerful feeling of fear:a chill ran down my spine

• 2a metal mould, often cooled, designed to ensure rapid or even cooling of metal during casting.

verb

• 1make (someone) cold:they were chilled by a sudden wind
• cool (food or drink), typically in a refrigerator:chill the soup slightly before serving
• [no object] (of food or drink) be cooled:they had some champagne chilling in the fridge
• Metallurgyanother term for chill-cast.

• 2horrify or frighten (someone):the city was chilled by the violence (as adjective chilling)a chilling account of the prisoners' fate

• 3 [no object] (also chill out) informal calm down and relax:they like to get home, have a bath, and chill out
• pass time idly with other people:she always seems to be just chilling with friends

adjective

• chilly:the chill grey dawn figurativethe chill winds of public censure