ENGLISH
REFERENCE

sickness

n. C / U
A2 Elementary US //ˈsɪknəs// UK //sˈɪknəs// sick·ness

n. the state of being ill or having a disease. It can also mean the feeling that you are about to vomit.

n. the condition of being ill or suffering from a specific disease; also refers to the sensation of nausea or the act of vomiting.


SIMPLE

She stayed home from work because of sickness.

CONTEXTUAL

The company offers ten days of paid leave for sickness or family emergencies each year.

COMPLEX

While the physical symptoms of the sickness were mild, the psychological toll of the isolation period proved much harder for the patients to endure.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From Middle English sikness, from Old English sēocnes. By surface analysis, sick + -ness.

Usage

Uncountable when referring to the general state of being unwell; countable when referring to specific types of illness or instances of vomiting.

Pitfall

he has a sicknesshe is sickLearners often use the noun 'sickness' where the adjective 'sick' or 'ill' is more natural for describing a person's current state.

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