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hill

(hĭl)

1. A well-defined natural elevation smaller than a mountain.

2. A small heap, pile, or mound.

a. A mound of earth piled around and over a plant.

b. A plant thus covered.

4. An incline, especially of a road; a slope.

5. Hill

a. Capitol Hill. Often used with the.

b. The US Congress. Often used with the.

tr.v. hilled, hill·ing, hills

1. To form into a hill, pile, or heap.

2. To cover (a plant) with a mound of soil.

Idiom:

over the hill Informal

Past one's prime.

[Middle English hil, from Old English hyll; see kel-² in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

hiller n.

Hill, James J(erome) 1838-1916.

American railroad magnate who promoted the Great Northern Railway and with J.P. Morgan gained control of the Northern Pacific Railroad in a stock market struggle that provoked the Panic of 1901.

Hill, Ambrose Powell 1825-1865.

American Confederate officer active in the Seven Days' Battle, the Second Battle of Bull Run, and the Battle of Antietam (all 1862). Units under his command began the Battle of Gettysburg (1863).

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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