What does "ail" mean?
Ail: Note: It is never used to express a specific disease. We do not say, a fever ails him; but, something ails him.
Additional senses
- 2.To be affected with pain or uneasiness of any sort; to be ill or indisposed or in trouble. When he ails ever so little . . . he is so peevish. Richardson.
- 3.Indisposition or morbid affection. Pope.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00