under the weather
21
5.3
- idiom
- /ˈʌndər ðə ˈwɛðər/
- Informal
:
pachucho
- I am feeling a little under the weather today.
- feeling under the weather
- a little under the weather
- a bit under the weather
I'm a little under the weather and kind of feeling better.
- I'm a little under the weather and kind of feeling better.
Examples
-
You're just feeling a little under the weather.
-
I'm still feeling a little under the weather.
-
Hey, uh, my boys are feeling a little under the weather, Al.
-
I have been away from the computer for some time as I, myself, have been under the weather.
Blog text (5) -
Just woke up feeling a little under the weather.
-
I'm just a little under the weather.
-
It's been a long trip and I'm feeling a bit under the weather.
-
You look like you're under the weather.
-
Unfortunately, my ever-present cohost is feeling under the weather today.
-
I am feeling a little under the weather today.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
Not well because of illness
632
1.0
Not feeling well because of sickness
18
1.0
Feeling slightly sick or uncomfortable
3
6.5
Feeling a little unwell and not your usual self
3
5.6
Having poor health and often getting sick
1
8.2
Feeling slightly sick or not well
Feeling ill or not well
Feeling slightly ill or unwell
Looking pale and weak, as if unwell
Antonyms
How Unwell
Surface Forms
Morphology
under + the + weather
The construction combines 'under' (in a state affected by) with 'the weather' (environmental conditions), which creates a plausible metaphor that one is being affected by poor conditions; this gives a partial clue to feeling unwell. However, the specific conventionalized idiomatic meaning 'slightly ill' is not fully predictable from the literal words and typically requires prior exposure, so it is only partially transparent to learners.
Etymology
Under the weather comes from old sailors. When a sailor felt sick, they went below deck to rest, so they were literally under the weather, which is why the phrase now means 'feeling sick'.