emergency
- 01 B1 Intermediate
a serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation that requires immediate action.
a situation posing an immediate risk to health, life, property, or environment which requires urgent intervention.
Simple“You should only call the police in a real emergency, not for minor problems.”
In context“The pilot declared an emergency after the left engine failed, requesting an immediate clearance to land at the nearest available airstrip.”
UsageOften used as an attributive noun before other nouns like 'exit', 'room', or 'services'.
- 02 B1 Intermediate
the part of a hospital where people go when they need help right away.
the department of a healthcare facility providing immediate treatment for acute illnesses and trauma.
Simple“He was rushed to emergency after he fell off his bike and broke his arm.”
In context“The hospital's emergency department was overwhelmed following the multi-car pileup on the motorway during the morning commute.”
UsageCommonly referred to as 'the emergency room' or simply 'emergency'.
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
a person who is called at the last minute to replace someone else in a team or job.
a person brought in at short notice to substitute for a staff member or a player in a sporting context.
Simple“The team had to call up an emergency when their main goalkeeper got sick.”
In context“The coach named two emergencies for the final match in case any of the starting players failed their late fitness tests.”
UsageOften used in the context of cricket or other team sports.
Synonyms - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
a sudden and very strong need to use the toilet.
a sudden, pressing physiological urge to urinate or defecate.
Simple“We had to stop the car at a petrol station because the toddler had an emergency.”
In context“The long bus journey was made difficult by a passenger who claimed a bathroom emergency every thirty minutes.”
Teacher's tipThis is a polite or humorous way to describe a bathroom need without being too graphic.
Synonyms
Usage emergency services · emergency response · emergency alert
Borrowed from Medieval Latin emergentia, from Latin emergens, present participle of emergo (“to emerge, arise, come forth”), equivalent to emergent + -cy or emerge + -ency. Doublet of emergence.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.