INDEX:
1. disabled
2. a physical or mental problem that makes someone disabled
3. not disabled
RELATED WORDS
unable to see : ↑ SEE (11-12)
unable to hear : ↑ HEAR (6)
see also
↑ HURT/INJURE
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1. disabled
▷ disabled /dɪsˈeɪb ə ld/ [adjective]
someone who is disabled cannot use a part of their body, for example their legs or their arms :
▪ David goes to a special school for disabled children.
▪ Her son is disabled and she has to take care of him all the time.
the disabled
▪ The governor has guaranteed health care for pregnant women, preschool children, and the disabled.
disabled toilets/parking etc
for disabled people
▷ handicapped /ˈhændɪkæpt/ [adjective]
someone who is handicapped has serious difficulty using part of their body or mind :
▪ She works with handicapped teenagers.
mentally handicapped
handicapped in the mind
▪ a school for mentally handicapped children
▷ special needs /ˌspeʃ ə l ˈniːdz/ [plural noun]
people with special needs need different teaching methods, special equipment etc because they are physically or mentally disabled :
have special needs/with special needs
▪ a school for children with special needs
▷ learning difficulties /ˈlɜʳnɪŋ ˌdɪfɪk ə ltiz/ [plural noun]
people with learning difficulties have difficulty learning at the same rate as most other people :
▪ He’s studying to teach children who have learning difficulties.
2. a physical or mental problem that makes someone disabled
▷ disability /ˌdɪsəˈbɪlɪti, ˌdɪsəˈbɪləti/ [countable/uncountable noun]
a problem with part of your body which makes it difficult for you to walk, talk, see etc :
▪ There are special courses for people with disabilities.
▪ Because of his disability, he depended on his wife to dress him, feed him and bathe him.
learning disability
▪ Studies say exposure to loud continuous noise can cause learning disabilities and behavioral problems in children.
▷ handicap /ˈhændɪkæp/ [countable/uncountable noun]
a mental or physical problem that makes someone disabled :
▪ We help people with mental or physical handicaps to find work.
▪ Babies of alcoholic mothers can be born with a severe degree of handicap.
3. not disabled
▷ able-bodied /ˌeɪb ə l ˈbɒdid◂ǁ-ˈbɑː-/ [adjective]
not disabled - use this when you are comparing disabled people with people who are not disabled :
▪ Disabled students face different problems from their able-bodied friends.