kiss of life

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Thân thiện
Definition

Noun: 1. Emergency resuscitation procedure: A first-aid technique used when a person has stopped breathing and their heart may have stopped. It involves a combination of rescue breaths (mouth-to-mouth resuscitation) and chest compressions to manually preserve brain function and restore partial blood circulation and breathing. 2. Figurative revival: Something that revitalizes or saves something that is failing or inactive.

Usage
  • The term is used to describe the specific, immediate medical intervention for someone in cardiac or respiratory arrest.
  • It is often used in instructional contexts related to first aid.
  • The figurative sense is used in broader contexts like business, arts, or politics to describe a revitalizing action.
Examples
  • Literal medical use:
    • The lifeguard administered the kiss of life to the drowning swimmer until the ambulance arrived.
    • Everyone should learn how to perform the kiss of life.
  • Figurative use:
    • The new investment was the kiss of life for the struggling company.
    • The director's innovative vision gave the classic play the kiss of life.
Advanced Usage
  • "to give someone/something the kiss of life": This is the standard phrase used for both the literal act of resuscitation and the figurative act of reviving.
    • Paramedics gave the accident victim the kiss of life at the scene.
    • The government grant gave the community arts project the kiss of life.
Variants and Related Words
  • Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR): The formal medical term for the procedure, often used interchangeably with "kiss of life" in its literal sense, though CPR is the more technical and current term.
  • Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation: Specifically refers to the rescue breathing component of the kiss of life/CPR.
  • Resuscitation (n): The general act of reviving someone from unconsciousness or apparent death.
  • Revive (v): To restore to life or consciousness; the general action related to giving the kiss of life.
Synonyms
  • CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation): The standard synonym in medical and first-aid contexts.
  • Rescue breathing: Specifically for the artificial respiration component.
  • Resuscitation: A more general term for the act of reviving.
Related Phrases
  • "to perform CPR": The modern, preferred phrase for the literal medical procedure.
  • "to resuscitate": The verb meaning to revive, especially from unconsciousness.
Related Idioms
  • "A lifeline": Something which provides essential support, often in a crisis. While not identical, it shares the concept of saving something from failure.
    • The new contract was a lifeline for the factory.
  • "To breathe new life into": A very close figurative synonym meaning to revitalize.
    • The renovation breathed new life into the old building.
Noun
  1. an emergency procedure consisting of external cardiac massage and artificial respiration; the first treatment for a person who has collapsed and has no pulse and has stopped breathing; attempts to restore circulation of the blood and prevent death or brain damage due to lack of oxygen

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