ill at ease
7
5.5
- idiom
- As a newcomer to the party, she felt ill at ease and unsure of how to start a conversation.
- feel ill at ease
Examples
-
Now I was the one who felt ill at ease.
Fiction book (2001) -
Joe seems ill at ease today, a little off his game.
Fiction book (1993) -
I feel kind of ill at ease.
-
It's only natural to feel ill at ease when seasons change.
-
Your continued absence from Paris has put me ill at ease.
-
I'm ill at ease with male company for the moment.
-
Back in the States, I found myself ill at ease, somehow unsettled by where I had been.
Academic text (2007) -
While she appeared composed, Ning was actually ill at ease.
Fiction book (1995) -
The four troopers ranged around the dining table looked awkward and slightly ill at ease.
Fiction book (1992) -
In her presence, he was gloomy and taciturn, and also perpetually restless and ill at ease.
Fiction book (1998)
Synonyms
702
1.7
Causing physical pain or making you feel uneasy in a situation
490
1.1
Feeling awkward, shy, or ashamed because of something you did
103
1.9
To be physically or emotionally uneasy
102
2.7
Feeling embarrassed or uncomfortable in social situations
92
3.2
You feel worried and not relaxed
62
4.6
Feeling nervous because you think others are watching or judging you
3
7.2
Feeling embarrassed and awkward after making a mistake or being corrected
1
7.5
Not comfortable or confident in a new situation
Antonyms
How Comfortable
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'feeling uncomfortable' is directly derivable from combining 'ill' (badly/unwell) with the phrase 'at ease' (comfortable), yielding the sense 'not at ease'. This is a straightforward compositional qualification (ill + at ease → not comfortable) that follows common patterns and is likely understandable to a B1 learner who knows the constituent words.
Etymology
The phrase ill at ease comes from a simple contrast: at ease means 'relaxed' and ill here means 'not'. So it gives the image of someone who cannot relax and looks awkward or nervous, which is why it means 'feeling uncomfortable or anxious' today.