health S1 W1 /helθ/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ health , ↑ healthiness ; adverb : ↑ healthily ≠ ↑ unhealthily ; adjective : ↑ healthy ≠ ↑ unhealthy ]
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: hælth , from hal ; ⇨ ↑ whole 1 ]
1 . the general condition of your body and how healthy you are:
I’m worried about my husband’s health.
2 . the work of providing medical services to keep people healthy:
The government has promised to spend more on health and education.
health insurance
nurses and other health workers
⇨ ↑ public health
3 . when you have no illness or disease:
Even if you haven’t got much money, at least you’ve got your health.
When we last met, he was glowing with health (=was clearly very healthy) .
4 . how successful something such as a business, an organization, or a country’s ↑ economy is:
The monthly trade figures are seen as an indicator of the health of the economy.
⇨ a clean bill of health at ↑ clean 1 (13)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ good
Physical exercise is essential to good health.
▪ excellent
At the age of 70, her health is excellent.
▪ poor
He wanted to join the army but his health was too poor.
▪ ill health
He retired early due to ill health.
▪ failing health (=when someone is becoming more ill)
Despite failing health, he travelled to Australia to visit his son.
▪ mental health
Poverty affects children's physical and mental health.
▪ physical health
Her physical health was generally good.
▪ sexual health
The programme aims to educate teenagers about sexual health.
▪ general health (=the health of your whole body rather than a particular part)
A balanced diet will improve your general health.
▪ human health
Some chemicals pose a significant risk to human health.
■ verbs
▪ damage your health
There is no doubt that smoking can seriously damage your health.
▪ endanger your health (=cause danger to your health)
Being overweight endangers your health.
▪ improve (somebody's) health
Doing more exercise will improve your health.
▪ somebody's health improves
Her health improved slowly after she came home from hospital.
▪ somebody's health deteriorates (=gets worse)
Her health deteriorated rapidly.
■ health + NOUN
▪ health care (=care from doctors, nurses etc)
Many Americans cannot afford even basic health care.
▪ a health problem
He missed a lot of time at work through health problems.
▪ a health risk/hazard/threat (=something that could damage your health)
The report looked at the health risks linked to eating excess sugar.
▪ health benefits
the health benefits of doing yoga
▪ health effects
The study looked at the long-term health effects of drinking alcohol.
▪ a health warning (=a warning printed on a product that could harm you)
the health warning on cigarette packets
■ phrases
▪ be in good/poor health (=be healthy/unhealthy)
Her parents were elderly and in poor health.
▪ be good/bad for your health
Eating plenty of vegetables is good for your health.
▪ somebody's state of health
Your choice of exercise must depend on your general state of health.
▪ health and well-being
The breakfast program improves the health and well-being of the children.