anaesthetize
/æ'ni:sθitaiz/ Cách viết khác : (anaesthetise) /æ'ni:sθitaiz/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To administer an anesthetic drug to a person or animal, causing a loss of sensation or consciousness: This is the primary medical meaning. It refers to the act of inducing a state of anesthesia, typically before a surgical or medical procedure, to prevent pain and discomfort.
Usage
The verb "anaesthetize" (also spelled "anesthetize" in American English) is used in medical and sometimes metaphorical contexts. It is a transitive verb, requiring a direct object (the person or animal being anesthetized).
Examples
- Medical Context:
- The veterinarian will anaesthetize the dog before performing the surgery.
- Patients are usually anaesthetized by a specialist doctor called an anesthesiologist.
- Metaphorical/Figurative Context (Advanced Usage):
- The constant noise of the city can anaesthetize one's sensitivity to sound. (Here, it means to dull or desensitize.)
- He used television to anaesthetize himself from the worries of the day.
Advanced Usage
- "to anaesthetize someone to something": to make someone emotionally numb or insensitive to something.
- Years of exposure to violence had anaesthetized him to its horror.
Variants and Related Words
- Anaesthetist (BrE) / Anesthesiologist (AmE) (n): a medical doctor specialized in administering anesthesia.
- Anaesthesia (BrE) / Anesthesia (AmE) (n): the state of insensitivity to pain, especially as induced for medical purposes.
- Anaesthetic (BrE) / Anesthetic (AmE) (n/adj): (n) a drug that causes anesthesia; (adj) relating to or causing anesthesia.
- Anaesthetise (BrE spelling): An alternative spelling for "anaesthetize".
Synonyms
- Sedate: To administer a sedative drug to calm or induce sleepiness (often a lighter effect than full anesthesia).
- Numb: To deprive of feeling or sensation. (This can be literal, as by cold, or metaphorical.)
- Desensitize: To make less sensitive or reactive, often used in emotional or psychological contexts.
Antonyms
- Stimulate: To raise levels of physiological or nervous activity.
- Sensitize: To make more sensitive or aware.
Phrasal Verbs
This word does not commonly form standard phrasal verbs. Its meaning is contained within the single verb form.
Related Idioms
There are no common idioms that use the exact word "anaesthetize." The metaphorical use itself functions similarly to an idiom, meaning to dull feelings or awareness.
Verb
- administer an anesthetic drug to
- The patient must be anesthetized before the operation
- anesthetize the gum before extracting the teeth