ague-cake
Definition
- Noun (Medicine):
- A swelling or enlargement of the spleen, historically associated with malaria or intermittent fevers. The term "ague-cake" refers to a hardened, often painful mass in the left upper abdomen resulting from chronic or recurrent ague (malarial fever).
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The patient complained of a dull ache in his side, and the doctor diagnosed an ague-cake. (A swollen spleen from repeated malarial attacks.)
- In old medical texts, ague-cake was a common complication of untreated malaria. (A historical condition linked to spleen enlargement.)
Advanced Usage
"to have an ague-cake": to suffer from a swollen spleen due to ague.
- He had an ague-cake from years of intermittent fevers. (He had a chronically enlarged spleen from malaria.)
"ague-cake fever": a fever that accompanies or causes the spleen swelling.
- The ague-cake fever returned every few days, leaving him weak. (Recurring malarial fever with spleen involvement.)
Variants and Related Words
Ague (n): a fever (such as malaria) marked by alternating chills and sweating.
- She was struck with a violent ague. (She had a severe malarial fever.)
Cake (n): in this context, a hardened or congealed mass (as in "ague-cake").
- The term "cake" here refers to the solid, swollen spleen. (A medical term for a hardened organ.)
Synonyms
- Splenomegaly: the medical term for an enlarged spleen.
- Malarial spleen: a spleen swollen due to malaria.
Idioms and Phrasal Verbs
- None specific to "ague-cake", as it is a historical medical term not used in modern idioms or phrasal verbs.
Related Idioms (General)
- "To have a touch of the ague": to experience mild chills or fever.
- He felt a touch of the ague and went to bed. (He had minor fever symptoms.)