Definition

1. Noun:

   • A painful injury to a joint, especially caused by a sudden, forceful twist that overstretches or tears the ligaments connecting the bones.

2. Verb:

   • To injure (a joint or its ligaments) by a sudden, violent twisting or wrenching motion.

Usage and Examples

• Noun:

  • She suffered a bad sprain in her ankle while playing tennis.
  • The doctor said it was a minor sprain, not a fracture.

• Verb:

  • Be careful not to sprain your wrist when you lift that heavy box.
  • He sprained his knee during the football match.

Advanced Usage and Notes

• "to sprain one's ankle/wrist/knee": This is the most common construction, specifying the injured joint.
  • It's easy to sprain your ankle on uneven ground.
• The injury is typically to ligaments (the fibrous tissues connecting bones), distinguishing it from a strain, which is an injury to a muscle or tendon.

Variants and Related Words

• Sprained (adj): Describing a joint that has suffered this injury.
  • He has a sprained ankle and must wear a brace.

Synonyms

• Wrench (verb): To twist or pull suddenly and violently, often causing injury.
• Twist (verb): To force out of the natural position by a turning motion; can result in a sprain.

Antonyms

• Heal (verb): To become sound or healthy again.
• Strengthen (verb): To make stronger, often to prevent injury.

Common Collocations and Phrases

• Bad/sever sprain: A significant or serious sprain.
  • The X-ray showed it was just a bad sprain.
• Minor/slight sprain: A less serious sprain.
  • After the fall, he had only a slight sprain.
• To treat a sprain: The common first aid is often summarized as R.I.C.E. (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation).

Noun

1. a painful injury to a joint caused by a sudden wrenching of its ligaments

Verb

1. twist suddenly so as to sprain
   • wrench one's ankle
   • The wrestler twisted his shoulder
   • the hikers sprained their ankles when they fell
   • I turned my ankle and couldn't walk for several days