bilious

bilious
bilious (adj.) 1540s, "pertaining to bile, biliary," from Fr. bilieux, from L. biliosus "pertaining to bile," from bilis (see BILE (Cf. bile)). Meaning "wrathful, peevish, ill-tempered" (as people afflicted with an excess of bile were believed to be) is attested from 1560s. This is the main modern sense in English and French; the more literal meaning being taken up by BILIARY (Cf. biliary). Related: Biliousness.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Bilious — Bil ious (b[i^]l y[u^]s), a. [L. biliosus, fr. bilis bile.] 1. Of or pertaining to the bile. [1913 Webster] 2. Disordered in respect to the bile; troubled with an excess of bile; as, a bilious patient; dependent on, or characterized by, an excess …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • bilious — I adjective bileful, choleric, dyspeptic, jaundiced, spiteful, spleenful II index bitter (penetrating), dyseptic, malevolent Burton s Leg …   Law dictionary

  • bilious — ► ADJECTIVE 1) relating to bile. 2) affected by nausea or vomiting. 3) spiteful; bad tempered. DERIVATIVES biliously adverb biliousness noun …   English terms dictionary

  • bilious — [bil′yəs] adj. [Fr bilieux < L biliosus < bilis, bile] 1. of the bile 2. having or resulting from some ailment of the bile or the liver 3. having the appearance of one who has such an ailment 4. bad tempered; cross biliously adv.… …   English World dictionary

  • Bilious — The adjective for bile, bilious has three meanings. It means of or relating to bile. By extension, bilious means suffering from liver dysfunction (and especially excessive secretion of bile). And, further by extension, it is indicative of a… …   Medical dictionary

  • bilious — [[t]bɪ̱liəs[/t]] 1) ADJ GRADED: usu ADJ n (disapproval) If someone describes the appearance of something as bilious, they mean that they think it looks unpleasant and rather disgusting. [WRITTEN] ...the bilious green overstuffed sofas. 2) ADJ If… …   English dictionary

  • bilious — bil|i|ous [ˈbıliəs] adj [Date: 1500 1600; : French; Origin: bilieux, from Latin biliosus, from bilis; BILE] 1.) feeling as if you might ↑vomit ▪ I got up feeling bilious and with a terrible headache. ▪ She felt a bilious attack coming on. 2.)… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • bilious — adjective 1) I felt bilious Syn: nauseous, sick, queasy, nauseated, green around the gills; rare qualmish Ant: well 2) his bilious disposition See irritable 3) …   Thesaurus of popular words

  • bilious — adjective Etymology: Middle French bilieux, from Latin biliosus, from bilis Date: 1541 1. a. of or relating to bile b. marked by or suffering from liver dysfunction and especially excessive secretion of bile c …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • bilious — biliously, adv. biliousness, n. /bil yeuhs/, adj. 1. Physiol., Pathol. pertaining to bile or to an excess secretion of bile. 2. Pathol. suffering from, caused by, or attended by trouble with the bile or liver. 3. peevish; irritable; cranky. 4.… …   Universalium

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