syringe
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a small tube with a needle and a plunger used to give medicine or take blood.
n.a medical device comprising a hollow cylinder and a piston, used for injecting or withdrawing fluids through a membrane or needle.
Simple“The nurse prepared the syringe with the correct dose of the vaccine.”
In context“The laboratory technician carefully disposed of the used syringe in a puncture-resistant sharps container to prevent accidental injury.”
Synonymshypodermicneedle - 02 C1 Advanced
v.to wash or clean a part of the body, like an ear, using a stream of water from a syringe.
v.to irrigate or cleanse a body cavity or wound by means of a syringe.
Simple“The doctor had to syringe my ear to remove the built-up wax.”
In context“The specialist recommended syringing the affected ear canal with a warm saline solution to alleviate the blockage safely.”
UsageThe verb is transitive and usually takes the body part as the direct object.
- 03 C2 Proficiency
v.to put a liquid into something using a syringe.
v.to inject a substance into a subject or material using a syringe.
Simple“The scientist syringed the dye into the small tube for the experiment.”
In context“The technician syringed the chemical catalyst directly into the reaction chamber to ensure an immediate and uniform distribution.”
Synonyms
“Cities across the U.S., from California to West Virginia , are making cuts to syringe service programs.”
“Usefully, it liquefies under pressure, behaving like ink as it passes through a syringe or a printing nozzle.”
From Middle French syringe (“syringe”), from Latin sȳringem, accusative of sȳrinx (“reed, panpipe”), from Ancient Greek σῦριγξ (sûrinx, “pipe, syrinx”). Doublet of syrinx.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.