fall sick
Contract an illness
Fall sick means to become ill.
The phrasing is slightly formal or old-fashioned compared to "get sick," but remains common in British English and in formal writing: Several workers fell sick after the outbreak.
The construction parallels other uses of fall to mark a change of state: fall asleep, fall silent, fall pregnant.
- catch a coldBecome mildly sick
- indisposedMildly sick or unwilling
- symptomsIndicators of disease
- run a feverHave above-normal temperature
- diseaseDisorder impairing normal function
illness · unwell · patient · bed rest · under the weather · fever · afflicted · rest · out of commission · doctor's orders · fatigue · come down with · not feeling well · ailment · infection · take ill · hospitalization · medication
health transition
fall sickrecover
Regain health or possession
get well · heal · recuperate · get better · bounce back
fall, sick, falls, fell, fallen, falling, faller, downfall, rainfall