breathalyser
Definition
Noun: A portable electronic device used by law enforcement to estimate the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) from a sample of a person's exhaled breath. It provides a preliminary, on-the-spot analysis, often used to determine if a driver is potentially over the legal limit for operating a vehicle.
Usage
The "breathalyser" is used as a noun, typically referring to the specific testing device. * The police officer asked the driver to blow into the breathalyser. * All drivers involved in the accident were given a breathalyser test at the scene. * The accuracy of the roadside breathalyser can be affected by certain factors.
Advanced Usage
- "To be breathalysed" (verb, chiefly British English): To be tested using a breathalyser.
- He was stopped and breathalysed by the traffic police.
- "To take/conduct/administer a breathalyser test": Common collocations describing the action of using the device.
- The officer decided to administer a breathalyser test.
Variants and Related Words
- Breathalyzer (noun): The standard American English spelling of the word.
- Breath test (noun): A more general term for the procedure of analyzing breath, often synonymous with a breathalyser test.
- Ignition interlock device (noun): A more advanced, vehicle-installed breathalyser that prevents a car from starting if alcohol is detected on the driver's breath.
Synonyms
- Alcotest (noun, brand name often used generically)
- Intoximeter (noun, a type of breath-testing device)
- Breath alcohol analyzer (noun, formal/technical term)
Related Phrases
- To blow into a breathalyser: The specific action required to use the device.
- The suspect refused to blow into the breathalyser.
- To fail a breathalyser (test): To register a BAC reading above the legal limit.
- If you fail the breathalyser, you will be arrested.
- Roadside breathalyser: Specifies the preliminary test given at the location of a traffic stop.
- The roadside breathalyser indicated the presence of alcohol.
Noun
-
a device that measures chemicals (especially the alcohol content) in a person's expired breath
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