Old English ciele, cele "cold, coolness, chill, frost, sensation of suffering from cold, sensation of cold experienced in illness," from Proto-Germanic *kal- "to be cold," from PIE root *gel- "cold; to freeze." In modern use perhaps a back-formation from the verb. Figurative sense "depressing situation or influence" is from 1821 (in Middle English the figurative sense was "suffering, misfortune").
late 14c., intransitive, "to feel cold, grow cold;" c. 1400, transitive, "to make cold," from chill (n.). Related: Chilled; chilling; chillingly. Figurative use "discourage, dispirit" is from late 14c. Meaning "hang out" first recorded 1985; from earlier chill out "relax" (1979).
Sheila E. sizzles in the new flick, Krush Groove, but some New York critics couldn't groove with it because many of the terms are unfamiliar to them. Examples: breakin' out (slang for leaving), chill (for cool down) and death (for something that's really good). ["Jet," Nov. 11, 1985]