What does ‘under the weather’ mean?
To “under the weather” means to feeling ill or unwell. A 19th-century nautical idiom: a sick sailor was sent below decks and thus 'under the weather' rail. Brewer's does not fix a single origin.
Origin
- A 19th-century nautical idiom: a sick sailor was sent below decks and thus 'under the weather' rail. Brewer's does not fix a single origin.
How to use it
- Polite, mild way to say you're unwell.
- Example: I'm a bit under the weather today — I'll stay home.
Source:
Last verified: 2026-07-18
- Definitions and origins are drawn from public-domain reference works, primarily Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), with modern usage notes clearly marked.