flu
/flu/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- An acute febrile highly contagious viral disease: "flu" is a common, short name for influenza, a viral infection that attacks the respiratory system and often causes fever, chills, muscle aches, cough, and fatigue.
Usage
- "Flu" is primarily used as a singular, countable noun. It is most commonly preceded by the definite article "the" (e.g., ). It can also be used with "a" in some contexts (e.g., ).
- It is an informal, shortened form of the medical term "influenza."
Examples
Advanced Usage
- "the flu": The standard, most common way to refer to the illness.
- Half the office is out with the flu.
- "a bout of flu": Used to describe an instance or episode of the illness.
- He's recovering from a nasty bout of flu.
- "flu-like symptoms": A common phrase describing signs that resemble influenza (e.g., fever, body aches) but may be caused by another illness.
- The patient presented with flu-like symptoms.
Variants and Related Words
- Influenza (n): The full, formal medical term for the flu.
- Influenza can be particularly dangerous for the elderly.
- Flu season (n compound): The period, typically during colder months, when flu cases are most common.
- It's important to get vaccinated before flu season starts.
Synonyms
- Influenza: The formal synonym.
- Grippe (n, archaic): An old-fashioned term for a severe flu.
Related Phrases
- "Come down with the flu": To begin to suffer from the flu.
- I think I'm coming down with the flu; my throat is sore.
- "Flu shot / jab": Informal terms for the influenza vaccine.
- Did you get your flu shot this year?
Noun
- an acute febrile highly contagious viral disease