paralyses

A sudden illness paralyses the patient's left arm.

Definition

1. Noun (plural of paralysis):

   • Medical condition: "paralyses" refers to multiple instances or types of paralysis, which is the loss of the ability to move or feel part of the body, often due to nerve damage or disease.
   • Figurative state: In a metaphorical sense, "paralyses" can mean conditions of inactivity, stagnation, or inability to function, affecting systems, organizations, or processes.

2. Verb (third-person singular of paralyse/paralyze):

   • To cause paralysis: "paralyses" means to make someone or something unable to move or function normally, either physically or metaphorically.
   • To render ineffective: It can also mean to cause a system, activity, or process to stop or become incapacitated.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • The hospital treated several cases of different paralyses, including spinal cord injuries. (Multiple medical conditions causing loss of movement.)
  • The political paralyses in the government led to a halt in legislative progress. (Figurative state of inactivity in a system.)

• Verb:

  • A stroke paralyses the left side of his body. (The stroke causes physical loss of movement.)
  • Fear paralyses her ability to speak in public. (Fear causes her to be unable to function effectively.)

Advanced Usage

• "paralyses of the will": a state where someone cannot make decisions or take action.

  • The constant criticism leads to a paralyses of the will, making him avoid any new projects. (Inability to act due to psychological pressure.)

• "economic paralyses": a situation where economic activity stops or slows dramatically.

  • The strike caused an economic paralyses in the region, with factories shutting down. (Stoppage of economic functions.)

Variants and Related Words

• Paralyse (verb, British spelling): to cause paralysis.

  • The venom can paralyse a small animal within seconds. (It makes the animal unable to move.)

• Paralyze (verb, American spelling): same meaning as paralyse.

  • The accident paralyzed him from the waist down. (It caused permanent loss of movement.)

• Paralysis (noun, singular): the state or condition of being paralyzed.

  • Paralysis of the legs can result from a spinal injury. (The singular form of the condition.)

Synonyms

• Immobilize: to make something or someone unable to move.
• Cripple: to damage severely, causing loss of function.
• Stun: to shock or daze, causing temporary inability to act.

Phrasal Verbs

• Paralyse with: to cause a specific type of paralysis or incapacitation.

  • The news paralysed her with grief. (The news made her unable to act due to intense sadness.)

• Paralyse into: to force into a state of inaction.

  • The threat paralysed the team into silence. (The threat caused the team to stop speaking or acting.)

Related Idioms

• Strike someone paralysed: to cause someone to become completely unable to move or act.

  • The shocking revelation struck him paralysed, unable to utter a word. (It made him completely still and speechless.)

• Paralysed by indecision: unable to make a choice due to uncertainty.

  • She stood paralysed by indecision, not knowing which path to take. (She was stuck in a state of inaction because she could not decide.)