sicken

B2 Topic:Health & Medicine

US /ˈsɪk.ən/ UK /ˈsɪk.ən/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like chicken /tʃ/ vs /s/ Sounds like thicken /θ/ vs /s/

Freq #41645

Meanings

1

verb
to become ill

Several passengers began to sicken after drinking the untreated water.
2

verb
to make someone physically ill or nauseated

Contaminated shellfish can sicken anyone who eats them.
3

verb
to cause strong disgust or revulsion

The deliberate cruelty in the report would sicken most readers.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to become ill fall illbecome ill

2 verb · to make someone physically... nauseatemake ill

3 verb · to cause strong disgust or... disgust revolt repel

Opposites

heal revive delight

Word family

Forms sickenedsickeningsickeninglysickens

Derived forms sickener

Related forms sick sickness nausea disgust

Etymology

From Middle English sekenen, formed from sick + the verb-forming suffix -en. Cognates in Scandinavian languages likewise mean 'become ill,' including Danish sygne and Icelandic sjukna.

Topics

Health & Medicine

External links

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