amputate
/'æmpjuteit/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To cut off (a limb, digit, or other part of the body) by surgical operation, typically as a medical necessity.
Usage
The verb "amputate" is used in medical contexts to describe the surgical removal of a body part. It is a transitive verb, requiring a direct object (the body part being removed). It is most commonly used in the passive voice when describing what happened to a patient.
Examples
- Active Voice:
- The surgeon had to amputate the gangrenous foot to save the patient's life.
- In severe cases of trauma, doctors may be forced to amputate a limb.
- Passive Voice:
- His leg was amputated after the accident.
- If the infection spreads, the finger will need to be amputated.
Advanced Usage
- "to amputate something from something": This construction is less common but can be used to specify the source.
- The procedure involved amputating the necrotic tissue from the surrounding healthy area.
Variants and Related Words
- Amputation (n): The act or process of amputating; the surgical removal of a limb or other appendage.
- The amputation was successful, and the patient is now recovering.
- Amputee (n): A person who has had a limb amputated.
- The clinic provides support for new amputees.
Synonyms
- Sever: To cut off, especially in a medical or surgical context. ("Sever" can be more general, while "amputate" is specifically surgical.)
- Remove surgically: A more descriptive phrase with the same meaning.
Antonyms
- Reattach: To sew a severed body part back on.
- Surgeons were able to reattach the severed finger.
- Transplant: To transfer (an organ or tissue) from one part of the body or individual to another.
Related Phrases/Idioms
Note: There are no common idioms using the word "amputate" itself. It is a precise medical term.
Verb
- remove surgically
- amputate limbs