- a living thing, too small to be seen without a microscope, that causes disease in people, animals and plants
- the flu/influenza virus
- patients known to have been infected with the virus
- the human immunodeficiency virus or HIV
- the hepatitis C virus
- a highly infectious disease caused by a virus
- a virus infection
- The vaccination offers good protection against the virus.
- It is not clear how she contracted the virus.
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
Collocations The living worldThe living worldAnimals- animals mate/breed/reproduce/feed (on something)
- fish/amphibians swim/spawn (= lay eggs)
- birds fly/migrate/nest/sing
- insects crawl/fly/bite/sting
- insects/bees/locusts swarm
- bees collect/gather nectar/pollen
- spiders spin/weave a web
- snakes/lizards shed their skins
- bears/hedgehogs/frogs hibernate
- insect larvae grow/develop/pupate
- an egg/a chick/a larva hatches
- attract/find/choose a mate
- produce/release eggs/sperm
- lay/fertilize/incubate/hatch eggs
- inhabit a forest/a reef/the coast
- mark/enter/defend (a) territory
- stalk/hunt/capture/catch/kill prey
- trees/plants grow/bloom/blossom/flower
- a seed germinates/sprouts
- leaves/buds/roots/shoots appear/develop/form
- flower buds swell/open
- a fungus grows/spreads/colonizes something
- pollinate/fertilize a flower/plant
- produce/release/spread/disperse pollen/seeds/spores
- produce/bear fruit
- develop/grow/form roots/shoots/leaves
- provide/supply/absorb/extract/release nutrients
- perform/increase/reduce photosynthesis
- bacteria/microbes/viruses grow/spread/multiply
- bacteria/microbes live/thrive in/on something
- bacteria/microbes/viruses evolve/colonize something/cause disease
- bacteria break something down/convert something (into something)
- a virus enters/invades something/the body
- a virus mutates/evolves/replicates (itself)
- be infected with/contaminated with/exposed to a new strain of a virus/drug-resistant bacteria
- contain/carry/harbour bacteria/a virus
- kill/destroy/eliminate harmful/deadly bacteria
Extra ExamplesTopics Health problemsa2, Biologya2- An infected person can pass the virus to others.
- The virus attacks a variety of cells in the body.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- deadly
- killer
- lethal
- …
- be infected with
- catch
- contract
- …
- infect somebody/something
- attack somebody/something
- kill somebody/something
- …
- infection
- vaccine
- transmission
- …
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- (informal) a disease caused by a virus
- There's a virus going around the office.
- I must have caught a virus on holiday.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- deadly
- killer
- lethal
- …
- be infected with
- catch
- contract
- …
- infect somebody/something
- attack somebody/something
- kill somebody/something
- …
- infection
- vaccine
- transmission
- …
- instructions that are hidden within a computer program and are designed to cause faults or destroy data
- a computer virus
- I think I've got a virus on my laptop.
- The virus in the software was programmed to corrupt the hard disk.
- software errors that can be exploited by virus writers
Collocations Email and the internetEmail and the internetEmail- receive/get/open an email
- write/send/answer/forward/delete an email
- check/read/access your email
- block/filter (out) junk/spam/unsolicited email
- exchange email addresses
- open/check your inbox
- junk mail fills/floods/clogs your inbox
- have/set up an email account
- open/send/contain an attachment
- sign up for/receive email alerts
- use/access/log onto the internet/the Web
- go online/on the internet
- have a high-speed/broadband/wireless (internet) connection
- access/connect to/locate the server
- use/open/close/launch a/your web browser
- browse/surf/search/scour the internet/the Web
- send/contain/spread/detect a(n) (computer/email) virus
- update your anti-virus software
- install/use/configure a firewall
- accept/enable/block/delete cookies
- visit/check a website/an internet site/somebody’s blog
- create/design/launch a website/social networking site
- start/write/post/read a blog
- update your blog/a website
- be in/meet somebody in/go into/enter an internet chat room
- download/upload music/software/a song/a podcast/a file/a copy of something
- share information/data/files
- post a comment/message on a(n) website/online message board/web forum/internet chat room
- stream video/audio/music/content over the internet
- join/participate in/visit/provide a(n) (web-based/web/online/internet/discussion) forum
- generate/increase/monitor internet traffic
Extra ExamplesTopics Computersa2- A teenage boy was arrested for being the creator of the BomBlast virus that caused severe disruption to the country's defence systems.
- Most viruses can only spread if you open an email attachment.
- My computer has caught some kind of virus, and it won't let me log on to the internet.
- The latest virus will attach itself to all the addresses in your email address book.
- Your virus definitions are not up to date.
- anti-virus software
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- computer
- be infected with
- create
- develop
- …
- attack something
- destroy something
- spread
- …
- threat
- warning
- protection
- …
see also viral
Word Originlate Middle English (denoting the venom of a snake): from Latin, literally ‘slimy liquid, poison’. The earlier medical sense, superseded by the current use as a result of improved scientific understanding, was ‘a substance produced in the body as the result of disease, especially one capable of infecting others’.
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