fatigue

/fə'ti:g/
Học thuật
Thân thiện
fatigue

The soldier was assigned to kitchen fatigue.

Definition
  1. Noun:

    • Extreme tiredness or exhaustion: A state of physical or mental weariness resulting from prolonged exertion, stress, or illness.
    • Weakening of a material: The process of a material (especially metal) becoming weaker and likely to fail after repeated stress or strain.
    • (Military) Menial labor: Non-combat tasks assigned to soldiers, such as cleaning or maintenance.
    • (With a modifier) Boredom or reduced tolerance: A feeling of weariness or diminished interest caused by excessive exposure to something.
  2. Verb:

    • To tire out: To cause someone or something to become extremely tired or exhausted.
    • To become tired: To grow weary or exhausted.
Examples of Usage
  • Noun:

    • She was suffering from extreme fatigue after working three consecutive night shifts.
    • Engineers must test for metal fatigue in the aircraft's wings.
    • The recruits were assigned kitchen fatigue for the week.
    • Many voters are showing signs of political fatigue.
  • Verb:

    • The long journey fatigued the travelers.
    • The repetitive motion fatigued the muscles in his arm.
Advanced Usage
  • "Compassion fatigue": Reduced capacity for empathy due to overexposure to distressing news or appeals.

    • Constant news coverage of the crisis led to widespread compassion fatigue.
  • "Decision fatigue": The deteriorating quality of decisions made by an individual after a long session of decision making.

    • After hours of shopping, she suffered from decision fatigue and couldn't choose a cereal.
  • "To fatigue of (something/someone)": To become weary or bored with something.

    • He had begun to fatigue of the constant meetings.
Variants and Related Words
  • Fatigues (plural noun): A military uniform for non-combat duties or labor.

    • The soldiers changed into their fatigues for the cleaning detail.
  • Fatigued (adjective): In a state of tiredness.

    • The fatigued hikers stopped to rest.
  • Fatiguing (adjective): Causing fatigue.

    • It was a long and fatiguing climb.
Synonyms
  • Noun: Exhaustion, weariness, tiredness, lethargy.
  • Verb: Tire, exhaust, weary, drain.
Related Phrasal Verbs/Constructions
  • "To fatigue someone out": To completely exhaust someone. (Note: "wear out" is more common).
    • The intense workout fatigued him out.
Related Idioms
  • "Battle fatigue": A state of extreme exhaustion and stress caused by prolonged engagement in difficult circumstances, originally from combat. Now used more broadly.
    • After months of negotiations, the diplomats showed signs of battle fatigue.
fatigue

The soldier was assigned to kitchen fatigue.

Noun
  1. labor of a nonmilitary kind done by soldiers (cleaning or digging or draining or so on)
    • the soldiers were put on fatigue to teach them a lesson
    • they were assigned to kitchen fatigues
  2. (always used with a modifier) boredom resulting from overexposure to something
    • he was suffering from museum fatigue
    • after watching TV with her husband she had a bad case of football fatigue
    • the American public is experiencing scandal fatigue
    • political fatigue
  3. used of materials (especially metals) in a weakened state caused by long stress
    • metal fatigue
  4. temporary loss of strength and energy resulting from hard physical or mental work
    • he was hospitalized for extreme fatigue
    • growing fatigue was apparent from the decline in the execution of their athletic skills
    • weariness overcame her after twelve hours and she fell asleep
Verb
  1. exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress
    • We wore ourselves out on this hike
  2. lose interest or become bored with something or somebody
    • I'm so tired of your mother and her complaints about my food