pill
A small piece of medicine that you swallow, usually with water.
A small, usually solid dose of medicine or drug that is swallowed, often in tablet or capsule form.
A small tablet a woman takes every day to stop her from getting pregnant.
A hormonal contraceptive taken by mouth, usually once a day, to prevent pregnancy, commonly referred to as “the pill”.
A person who behaves in a way that others find annoying or unpleasant.
A person who is irritating, difficult, or unpleasant to be around.
A tiny ball of fabric that forms on clothes after you wear or wash them many times.
A small, raised ball of tangled fibers that appears on the surface of fabric when it is worn or rubbed.
For clothes or other fabric to get small balls on the surface after you wear or wash them.
To develop small balls of tangled fibers on the surface of fabric as a result of wear or rubbing.
A slang word for the ball in some sports, especially baseball or American football.
In sports slang, a ball used in a game, especially in baseball or American football.
- Base: pill
- Plural: pills
- Base: pill
- 3rd Person Singular: pills
- Present Participle: pilling
- Past: pilled
a bitter pill (to swallow)
1unpleasant truth that is hard to accept
A very unpleasant fact or decision that you do not like but must accept.
- Losing the final after leading by two goals was a bitter pill to swallow.
- The pay cut was a bitter pill to swallow for many employees.
- It was a bitter pill to swallow when she realized she had failed the exam.
go on the pill
1start using oral contraceptive
Start taking an oral contraceptive pill regularly to prevent pregnancy.
- She decided to go on the pill after talking with her doctor.
- Many women go on the pill to help control their periods.
- They discussed whether she should go on the pill before moving in together.
morning-after pill
1emergency contraceptive taken after sex
A pill a woman can take soon after sex to lower the chance of getting pregnant.
- She went to the pharmacy to get the morning-after pill.
- The morning-after pill should be taken as soon as possible after unprotected sex.
- Some people mistakenly think the morning-after pill is the same as an abortion pill.
on the pill
1regularly taking oral contraceptive
Regularly taking an oral contraceptive pill to prevent pregnancy.
- She’s been on the pill since she was twenty.
- If you are on the pill, talk to your doctor before changing the brand.
- He asked if she was on the pill before they stopped using condoms.
sugar-coat the pill
1make bad news sound nicer
To say or present something bad in a nicer way so it does not feel as painful or shocking.
- The manager tried to sugar-coat the pill, but people were still upset about the layoffs.
- There’s no way to sugar-coat the pill: we lost the contract.
- Doctors shouldn’t sugar-coat the pill when explaining serious risks.