Overdose
/ˈoʊvərdoʊs/
Definitions
2 meaningsAn excessive and dangerous dose of a drug or medicine. A harmful or fatal amount of something, especially a drug.
/ˈoʊvərdoʊs/
An excessive and dangerous dose of a drug or medicine.
The news reported a rise in opioid overdoses in the city.
💡 Simply: Think of taking too much medicine by accident. It's when your body gets way more than it can handle, which can be super dangerous.
👶 For kids: Too much medicine or drugs that can hurt you.
More Examples
The coroner ruled the death an accidental overdose.
She was rushed to the hospital after a suspected overdose.
How It's Used
"The patient suffered an overdose of painkillers."
"Paramedics responded to an overdose call late last night."
To take an excessive and dangerous dose of a drug or medicine.
/ˌoʊvərˈdoʊs/
She overdosed on heroin.
💡 Simply: Imagine someone taking way too much of something, like medicine or drugs, which can seriously hurt them. That's 'to overdose'.
👶 For kids: To take too much medicine or drugs that can hurt you.
More Examples
He was found to have overdosed on prescription medication.
Doctors are working to prevent people from overdosing.
How It's Used
"He accidentally overdosed on sleeping pills."
"She was warned about the risk of overdosing if she used again."
Idioms & expressions
reverse an overdose
To counteract the effects of an overdose, often through the administration of an antidote.
"Paramedics are trained to reverse an overdose using Narcan."
From 'over-' (excess) + 'dose' (a measured amount of medicine). The term emerged in the late 19th century, initially referring to an excessive amount of medication taken for a medicinal purpose, and later expanded to include substances other than medicines.
The word initially emerged in medical contexts and gradually found wider usage in fields like journalism and public health, reflecting increasing awareness of drug-related issues.
Memory tip
Imagine pouring too much medicine into a cup - it becomes a dangerous 'overdose'.