- [uncountable] the study and treatment of diseases and injuries
- advances in modern medicine
- to study/practise medicine
- a professor of medicine
- conventional/orthodox medicine
- alternative/complementary medicine
- Acupuncture has long been a part of traditional Chinese medicine.
- a rapidly developing field of medicine
- There is a greater emphasis on preventive medicine.
Extra ExamplesTopics Healthcarea2, Scientific researcha2- She believed private medicine was a threat to the existence of the National Health Service.
- She gave up general medicine to specialize in geriatric medicine.
- Modern medicine has not yet found a cure for the common cold.
- They are qualified in traditional Chinese medicine.
- She went on to practise medicine after completing her studies.
- Which branch of medicine are you going to train in?
- Western medicine became widespread during the Soviet period.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- modern
- traditional
- folk
- …
- train in
- qualify in
- practise/practice
- …
- a branch of medicine
- [uncountable, countable] a substance that you take in order to cure an illness, especially a liquid that you drink or swallow
- Did you take your medicine?
- Your doctor can prescribe medicine to ease your symptoms.
- She gave me a dose of cough medicine.
- Chinese herbal medicines
- medicine for a chest infection
- It's a medicine used to combat diarrhoea.
Collocations IllnessesIllnessesBecoming ill- catch a cold/an infectious disease/the flu/(British English) flu/pneumonia/a virus/(informal) a bug
- get (British English) ill/(North American English) sick/a disease/AIDS/breast cancer/a cold/the flu/(British English) flu/a migraine
- come down with a cold/the flu/(British English) flu
- contract a deadly disease/a serious illness/HIV/AIDS
- be infected with a virus/a parasite/HIV
- develop cancer/diabetes/a rash/an ulcer/symptoms of hepatitis
- have a heart attack/a stroke
- provoke/trigger/produce an allergic reaction
- block/burst/rupture a blood vessel
- damage/sever a nerve/an artery/a tendon
- feel (British English) ill/nauseous/queasy
- be running (British English) a temperature/(North American English) a fever
- have a head cold/diabetes/heart disease/lung cancer/a headache/(British English) a high temperature/(North American English) a fever
- suffer from asthma/malnutrition/frequent headaches/nausea/bouts of depression/post-traumatic stress disorder
- be laid up with/ (British English) be in bed with a cold/the flu/(British English) flu/a migraine
- nurse a cold/a headache/a hangover
- battle/fight cancer/depression/addiction/alcoholism
- examine a patient
- diagnose a condition/disease/disorder
- be diagnosed with cancer/diabetes/schizophrenia
- prescribe/be given/be on/take drugs/medicine/medication/pills/painkillers/antibiotics
- treat somebody for cancer/depression/shock
- have/undergo an examination/an operation/surgery/a kidney transplant/therapy/chemotherapy/treatment for cancer
- have/be given an injection/(British English) a flu jab/(North American English) a flu shot/a blood transfusion/a scan/an X-ray
- cure a disease/an ailment/cancer/a headache/a patient
- prevent the spread of disease/further outbreaks/damage to the lungs
- be vaccinated against the flu/(British English) flu/the measles/(British English) measles/polio/smallpox
- enhance/boost/confer/build immunity to a disease
Extra ExamplesTopics Healthcarea2- Supplies of medicine are hard to get hold of during times of war.
- Food and medicines are being airlifted to the flood-hit area.
- We should not stop offering our pets veterinary medicines.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- powerful
- strong
- allergy
- …
- dose
- take
- swallow
- prescribe (somebody)
- …
- cabinet
- chest
- bottle
- …
- medicine for
Word OriginMiddle English: via Old French from Latin medicina, from medicus ‘physician’.
Idioms
See medicine in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee medicine in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishthe best medicine
- the best way of improving a situation, especially of making you feel happier
- Laughter is the best medicine.
a taste/dose of your own medicine
- the same bad treatment that you have given to others
- Let the bully have a taste of his own medicine.
Check pronunciation:
medicine