From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishthink/speak ill of somebodythink/speak ill of somebodyformalUNPLEASANT to think or say unpleasant things about someone She really believes you should never speak ill of the dead. → ill
Examples from the Corpus
think/speak ill of somebody• You wish to think all the world respectable, and are hurt if I speak ill of any body.• But she never speaks ill of anyone.• The candidates clearly did not want to speak ill of each other during the campaign.• He spoke ill of me to his friends.• I know speaking ill of the dead and all that.• The Newleys' acquaintances spoke well of the dead in order to think ill of the living.• Surely it is better to speak ill of the dead than of the living. 