Meaning of sick In English

• 0 physically or mentally ill; not well or healthy:

  • a sick child

  • a sick cow

  • My father has been off sick (= not working because of illness) for a long time.

  • Anyone who could hurt a child like that must be sick (= mentally ill).

  • The old woman fell/took/was taken sick (= became ill) while she was away and had to come home.

  • Sarah called in/reported sick (= told her employer that she was unable to go to work because of illness).

  • figurative High rates of crime are considered by some people to be a sign of a sick society.

• 1 feeling ill as if you are going to vomit:

  • Lucy felt sick the morning after the party.

  • If you eat any more of that cake, you'll make yourself sick.

  • She was sick after she ate too much chocolate.

• 2 feeling strong unpleasant emotions, especially anger or disgust:

  • I'm sick at (= unhappy about) not getting that job.

  • It makes me sick (= makes me very angry) to see people wearing fur coats.

  • UK informal It's sick-making (= very annoying) that she's being paid so much for doing so little.

  • I'm sick (and tired/to death) of (= very annoyed about) the way you're behaving.

  • She was worried sick (= very worried) when her daughter didn't come home on time.

  • I felt sick (= felt shocked and disgusted) when I heard about the prisoners being beaten.

  • Joan was not amused by the sick joke her brother told.

• 3 very good, excellent:

  • snowboarders doing sick tricks

• 4 people who are ill:

  • It's better for the sick to be cared for at home rather than in hospital.

• 5 vomit:

  • a pool of sick on the floor

• 6 physically or mentally ill; not well or healthy:

  • We’ve got a sick cat.

  • I feel sick.

  • Only a sick mind could think of such things.

  • He’s out sick (= absent because of illness).

  • Samantha called in sick (= called to say she was ill and not coming to work).

• 7 feeling as if you are going to vomit:

  • She was so nervous she got sick.

  • I feel sick to my stomach (= likely to vomit).

• 8 causing or experiencing unpleasant feelings:

  • Michelle is sick about not getting that job.

  • I can’t believe she lost the election – it just makes me sick.

• 9 not feeling well:

  • Peter called in sick this morning.

  • off/out sick She's been out sick for a week.

• 10 a sick business, economy, etc. is having a lot of problems that are difficult to solve:

  • Low interest rates often signal that an economy is sick.

  • New executives were brought in to turn the sick company around.