Music
ill
What does ill mean?
Wild, crazy, or out of control in a bold and admirable way.
"Things got ill on the dance floor once the DJ dropped that break."
Origin
An inversion of the literal 'sick' or 'bad', it became hip-hop praise in the late 70s and 80s, where taking a negative word and flipping it to mean excellent was a signature move of the culture.
Frequently asked questions
What does ill mean in slang?
In hip-hop slang it means excellent, impressive, or extraordinarily skilled, a flipped negative used as praise.
Where did ill come from?
From 70s-80s hip-hop, part of a tradition of reversing negative words; 'ill' came to mean great rather than unwell.
What does illest mean?
Illest is the superlative, meaning the very best, the most skilled or impressive of all.
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