Definition

1. Verb:
   • To strike or tap firmly, especially as part of a medical examination: In medicine, "percuss" specifically refers to the diagnostic technique of tapping a part of the body (like the chest or abdomen) with the fingers or a small instrument to evaluate the condition of the underlying organs by the sound produced.
   • To strike sharply; to impact: In a broader, less common sense, it can mean to strike something sharply.

Examples of Usage

• Verb:
  • The physician will percuss the patient's abdomen to check for organ enlargement.
  • During the physical exam, she percussed my chest to listen for any abnormal sounds.
  • (Less common) The drummer percussed the cymbal with a light, precise stroke.

Advanced Usage

• "Percuss over an area": To perform percussion on a specific region of the body.

  • The doctor percussed over the liver to determine its size.

• "Percuss for dullness/resonance": To use percussion to find areas that produce a dull sound (indicating fluid or solid tissue) versus a resonant sound (indicating air-filled spaces like lungs).

  • He percussed the lung fields, listening for the normal resonant note.

Variants and Related Words

• Percussion (n): 1. The act of percussing. 2. The section of an orchestra or band comprising instruments that are played by being struck (e.g., drums, xylophone).

  • The diagnosis was aided by chest percussion.
  • She plays percussion in the school band.

• Percussive (adj): Relating to or having the effect of percussion; characterized by striking.

  • The music had a strong, percussive rhythm.

• Percussionist (n): A musician who plays percussion instruments.

Synonyms

• Tap: To strike lightly.
• Strike: To hit with force.
• Knock: To strike a surface to produce a sound.

Related Phrases

• Percuss and auscultate: A common medical phrase referring to the combined techniques of tapping (percussion) and listening with a stethoscope (auscultation) during an examination.
  • The standard procedure is to inspect, palpate, percuss, and then auscultate the abdomen.

Verb

1. strike or tap firmly
   • the doctor percussed his chest and back