Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Injured, especially by a weapon or in conflict: Describes a person, animal, or sometimes feelings that have sustained a physical wound or injury, typically from violence, battle, or an accident.
   • Emotionally hurt: Describes a state of being emotionally hurt or offended.

2. Noun (plural: the wounded):

   • People who are injured: Refers collectively to individuals who have been wounded, especially in a military context or disaster.

Usage

• The adjective wounded is used to describe the state of having an injury.
• The noun form the wounded is always used with the definite article "the" to refer to a group of injured people. It is treated as a plural noun.

Examples

• Adjective:

  • The wounded soldier was carried from the battlefield.
  • She spoke with a wounded tone after the criticism.
  • The veterinarian treated the wounded bird.

• Noun:

  • The ambulances rushed to evacuate the wounded.
  • Priority was given to treating the wounded after the explosion.

Advanced Usage

• "Walking wounded": Refers to people who are injured but are still able to walk. It can also be used metaphorically for people who are emotionally hurt but continue with their daily lives.
  • The clinic was full of the walking wounded after the minor accident.

Variants and Related Words

• Wound (n/v): The injury itself (noun) or the act of causing such an injury (verb).

  • The wound was deep and required stitches. (noun)
  • The shrapnel wounded several civilians. (verb)

• Wounding (adj/n): Causing wounds or injury (adjective). The act of injuring someone (noun).

  • His wounding remarks left her in tears. (adj)

Synonyms

• Injured: Harmed or damaged.
• Hurt: Suffering pain or injury.
• Maimed: Injured so that a part of the body is permanently damaged.
• Battered: Injured by repeated beating or hitting.

Antonyms

• Unharmed: Not injured or damaged.
• Healthy: In good health; not injured or ill.
• Intact: Not damaged or impaired in any way.

Related Phrases and Idioms

• Lick one's wounds: To retreat and try to recover from a defeat or bad experience.

  • After losing the election, the candidate went home to lick his wounds.

• Open old wounds: To revive painful memories of past unpleasant experiences.

  • Discussing the failed project only opened old wounds for the team.

Adjective

1. suffering from physical injury especially that suffered in battle
   • nursing his wounded arm
   • ambulances...for the hurt men and women

Noun

1. people who are wounded
   • they had to leave the wounded where they fell