# concussion

/kənˈkəʃən/ (US) · /kənkˈʌʃən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/concussion
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 2. violent shock

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Literary

the act of shaking something very hard or a violent hit between two things.

For teachers: the action of shaking or agitating something violently; a sudden and forceful impact or collision.

- The concussion of the explosion broke every window in the street.
- The heavy concussion of the falling masonry sent tremors through the foundations of the adjacent buildings.

Usage: Usually refers to the physical force or sound wave rather than the injury.

### 3. illegal threat

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Formal

forcing someone to give up money or property by using threats.

For teachers: the unlawful forcing of another to yield up something of value through threats of violence or abuse of authority.

- The official was accused of using concussion to take money from the villagers.
- In historical legal texts, the term describes the extraction of fees through concussion and the systemic abuse of administrative power.

Teaching tip: In modern legal English, 'extortion' or 'duress' is almost always used instead of this sense.

## Examples

- He suffered a concussion after falling off his bike.
- The doctor told him to rest for a week because of the concussion.
- Concussions are invisible injuries that require careful monitoring to ensure the brain heals properly before returning to sport.

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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.