What does "dose" mean?

1. (amount of medicine) the exact amount of medicine you are supposed to take at one time. 2. (an amount of an experience) an amount of something you experience, especially if it is difficult or strong. 3. (an illness) a bad cold or a case of the flu. 4. (to give medicine) to give someone a specific amount of medicine.

How do you use "dose"?

Often used with the preposition 'of'. Usually transitive, taking a direct object for the recipient and 'with' for the substance.

dose

n. · v.

US //ˈdoʊs// UK //dˈəʊs// dose

1 amount of medicine (n.)
B1 Intermediate Medicine

the exact amount of medicine you are supposed to take at one time.

a measured portion of a therapeutic substance or radiation administered at a single time.

Example

The doctor told him to take a small dose of the syrup every four hours.

Example

The clinical trial aimed to determine the minimum effective dose required to reduce blood pressure without causing significant side effects.

Usage

Often used with the preposition 'of'.
2 an amount of an experience (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

an amount of something you experience, especially if it is difficult or strong.

a quantity of an experience or quality, often one that is disagreeable or intense.

Example

After a long week of work, she needed a healthy dose of peace and quiet.

Example

The documentary provided a heavy dose of reality regarding the environmental challenges facing the region.

Teacher's tip

Commonly used in the idiom 'a dose of your own medicine', meaning to be treated the same way you treat others.
- amount
- measure

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3 an illness (n.)
C1 Advanced British English Informal Dialect

a bad cold or a case of the flu.

a bout of a common viral illness, such as a cold or influenza.

Example

I've had a nasty dose of the flu and have been in bed for three days.

Example

He missed the conference because he was struck down by a particularly severe dose of whatever virus was going around the office.
4 to give medicine (v.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Medicine

to give someone a specific amount of medicine.

to administer a measured quantity of a drug or medication to a person or animal.

Example

She had to dose the cat with antibiotics twice a day.

Example

The veterinarian instructed the farmer on how to dose the livestock to prevent the spread of the parasite through the herd.

Usage

Usually transitive, taking a direct object for the recipient and 'with' for the substance.
- medicate
- treat

Origin

Borrowed from Middle French dose, from Late Latin dosis, from Ancient Greek δόσις (dósis, “a portion prescribed”, literally “a giving”), used by Galen and other Greek physicians to mean an amount of medicine, from δίδωμι (dídōmi, “to give”). Doublet of doos.