Etymology: Old English cęle , cięle , cold, coldness < Old Germanic type kali-z (masculine), < kal-an to be cold n.: not exemplified in the other Germanic languages. This word seems to have become obsolete by 1400, after the verb and adjective had been formed from it, its place being taken by cold n. Since c1600 it has been revived, apparently as a new formation from the verb, and in a modified sense evidently of verbal origin. But see note to chill v. For etymological relation of chill , cool , †kele , acale , cold , and their derivatives, see cold n.

Etymology: Mostly since 16th cent.: apparently < chill n.: compare the use of cold both as adjective and noun.

Etymology: First found in 14th cent., but not frequent before 16th; apparently < chill n.: but evidence is deficient. It has been suggested that the verb may have been deduced from a past participle child (chilled), short for childed, from a verb child-en representing Old English *cieldan, *cildan to make cold. If so, the whole later series of chill verb, adjective, and noun (since 1600), would be distinct from the Middle English noun.