dose
/dous/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- A measured quantity of a medicine or drug to be taken at one time: The primary meaning refers to a specific, measured amount of a therapeutic substance intended for administration.
- The quantity of an active agent (like radiation or a chemical) absorbed or received at one time: This extends the meaning to non-medical contexts involving exposure to substances or energy.
- A communicable infection transmitted by sexual contact: (Informal, often "a dose") Refers to a case of a sexually transmitted infection.
- A street name for the drug lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD): (Slang) A specific informal term for a dose of the hallucinogenic drug LSD.
Verb:
- To administer a measured quantity of medicine or a drug to someone or something: The action of giving a specific dose.
- To treat or mix with an agent; to add a substance to something: This can refer to exposing something to a measured amount of another substance, like radiation or a chemical additive.
Usage Examples
Noun:
- The doctor prescribed a daily dose of antibiotics. (A measured amount of medicine.)
- Workers must monitor their radiation dose carefully. (Quantity of an active agent absorbed.)
- He went to the clinic because he thought he had a dose. (A sexually transmitted infection.)
- The dealer sold him a single dose. (A portion of an illegal drug, specifically LSD.)
Verb:
- The nurse will dose the patient with pain medication every four hours. (Administer a measured quantity.)
- The machine doses the paint with a hardening agent automatically. (Adds a measured amount of a substance.)
Advanced Usage
"A dose of reality": A metaphor meaning an experience that makes someone face the truth or real facts of a situation, often harshly.
- Losing the election was a hard dose of reality for the candidate.
"Like a dose of salts": (Simile, informal) Refers to something that acts very quickly and thoroughly.
- The new manager cleared out the old files like a dose of salts.
Variants and Related Words
- Dosage (n): The size or frequency of a dose of a medicine or drug; the overall regimen. (e.g., )
- Dosimeter (n): A device that measures exposure to radiation or other substances.
- Overdose (n/v): A dangerously large dose; to take such a dose. (This is a compound word listed separately as per instruction.)
Synonyms
- Portion: A part of a whole, especially a serving of food or medicine.
- Measure: A specific quantity.
- Shot: (Informal) An injection or a single serving, especially of alcohol or a drug.
- Draught (also Draft): A single act of drinking or inhaling; a portion of liquid medicine.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Dose up: (Informal) To give or take a dose of medicine, often a large one.
- She dosed herself up with cold medicine and went to bed.
Related Idioms
- A bitter pill to swallow / A hard dose to swallow: An unpleasant fact or situation that one must accept.
- Being laid off was a bitter pill to swallow.
- What's your dose?: (Slang, potentially related to drug culture) Can be an inquiry about someone's usual amount or tolerance of a substance. (Use with extreme caution due to context.)
Noun
- street name for lysergic acid diethylamide
- a communicable infection transmitted by sexual intercourse or genital contact
- the quantity of an active agent (substance or radiation) taken in or absorbed at any one time
- a measured portion of medicine taken at any one time
Verb
- administer a drug to
- They drugged the kidnapped tourist
- treat with an agent; add (an agent) to
- The ray dosed the paint