Definition of "pill"

Take two pills every hour in the apyrexia of intermittent fever, until eight are taken.

1864, Benjamin Ellis, The Medical Formulary‎

I'm tearing down your brooder house / 'Cause now I've got the pill

1975, “The Pill”, in Back to the Country, performed by Loretta Lynn

Many specialists are requesting that this vitamin be included in all contraceptive pills, as women on the pill have a tendency to be depressed.

1986, Jurriaan Plesman, Getting Off the Hook: Treatment of Drug Addiction and Social Disorders Through Body and Mind‎

"It's a sad unpalatable truth," said Mr. Pembroke, thinking that the despondency might be personal, "but one must accept it. My sister and Gerald, I am thankful to say, have accepted it, so naturally it has been a little pill."

1907, E.M. Forster, The Longest Journey, Part I, III [Uniform ed., p. 45]

You see, he's egging Phyllis on to marry Wilbert Cream. [...] And when a man like that eggs, something has to give, especially when the girl's a pill like Phyllis, who always does what Daddy tells her.

1960, P. G. Wodehouse, Jeeves in the Offing, chapter IV

Instead, I saw a woman in her mid-fifties, who was a real pill; while all the others had managed a decent “So pleased,” or even a plain “Hello,” Ginger just inclined her head, as if she was doing a Queen Mary imitation.

2000, Susan Isaacs, Shining Through‎

One sleeve, threadbare and loaded with what my mother called “sweater pills,” hung halfway to the floor.

1999, Wally Lamb, I Know This Much Is True‎

"Strike two!" bawled the umpire. I threw the pill back to Tom with a heart which drummed above the noise of the rooters along the side lines.

1931, Canadian National Magazine

Mr. Fisher contributed to the Sox effort when he threw the pill past second baseman Rath after Felsch hit him a comebacker.

2002, John Klima, Pitched Battle: 35 of Baseball's Greatest Duels from the Mound‎

During processing, inferior short fibers (which can cause pilling and itching) are removed to enhance the natural softness of the yarn and to improve its wash-and-wear performance.

1997, Jo Sharp, Knitted Sweater Style: Inspirations in Color‎

“I pilled him because he is a liar,” said Thackeray. “He calls himself 'ill' when he isn't.”

1907, Arthur Griffiths, Clubs and Clubmen, page 260

[Jacob] pilled white streaks […] in the rods.

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], Genesis 30:37

So syr Lucan departed for he was greuously wounded in many places And so as he yede he sawe and herkened by the mone lyght how that pyllars and robbers were comen in to the felde To pylle and robbe many a ful noble knyghte of brochys and bedys of many a good rynge & of many a ryche Iewel / and who that were not deed al oute(please add an English translation of this quotation)

1485, Sir Thomas Malory, “iiij”, in Le Morte Darthur, book XXI

The Galles and thoſe pilling Briggandines,That yeerely ſaile to the Uenetian goulfe,And houer in the ſtraightes for Chriſtians wracke,Shall lie at anchor in the Iſle Aſant.

c. 1587–1588, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire, London: Scolar Press, 1973, Act III, scene iii

And there by her were poured forth at fill, As if, this to adorne, she all the rest did pill

1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book VI, Canto X”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie

His [a hart's] head when it commeth firſt out, hath a ruſſet pyll vpon it, the which is called Veluet, […]. When his head is growne out to the full bigneſſe, then he rubbeth of that pyll, and that is called fraying of his head. And afterwards he Burniſheth the ſame, and then his head is ſaid to be full ſommed.

1575, Jacques du Fouilloux, “Of the Termes of Venery”, in George Gascoigne, transl., The Noble Art of Venerie or Hunting. […], London: […] Thomas Purfoot, published 1611, page 244

Some be covered with crusts or hard pills, as the locust

1601, C[aius] Plinius Secundus [i.e., Pliny the Elder], “(please specify |book=I to XXXVII)”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Historie of the World. Commonly Called, The Naturall Historie of C. Plinius Secundus. […], (please specify |tome=1 or 2), London: […] Adam Islip, published 1635

To make Sallet of Lemon pill, or green Citron. You must have your Lemon Pill preserved very green, Rasp it into a Dish, and raise it up lightly with a Fork […]

1682, A perfect school of Instructions for the Officers of the Mouth