# ambulance

/ˈæmbjəɫəns/ (US) · /ˈæmbjʊləns/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ambulance
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. emergency vehicle

noun · CEFR A2

a vehicle used to take people who are very sick or hurt to a hospital quickly.

For teachers: a vehicle equipped for transporting the sick or injured, usually providing medical care during transit.

- The ambulance arrived within minutes and the paramedics began helping the driver.
- Witnesses called for an ambulance immediately after the collision, as several passengers appeared to have sustained serious injuries.

### 3. to transport by ambulance

verb · CEFR C2 · Formal · Technical

to move someone using an ambulance.

For teachers: to transport a patient via an ambulance vehicle. This transitive use is less common than the noun form.

- The patient was ambulanced to the city hospital for specialist surgery.
- Due to the severity of the spinal trauma, the victim was carefully ambulanced to the regional trauma centre under constant supervision.

## Examples

- The ambulance arrives quickly after the accident.
- Paramedics inside the ambulance provide emergency care to the patient while driving to the nearest trauma center.
- The rapid deployment of an ambulance can mean the difference between life and death in cardiac emergencies, where every second of transit time impacts the patient's prognosis.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.