INDEX:
1. a hospital
2. a hospital for people who are mentally ill
3. a part of a hospital
RELATED WORDS
see also
↑ DOCTOR
↑ ILL/SICK
↑ ILLNESS/DISEASE
↑ CURE
↑ RECOVER
↑ MEDICAL TREATMENT
↑ MENTALLY ILL
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1. a hospital
▷ hospital /ˈhɒspɪtlǁˈhɑː-/ [countable/uncountable noun]
a large building where sick or injured people are looked after and receive medical treatment :
▪ Lucy works as a nurse at the local hospital.
be in hospital British /be in the hospital
especially American being treated in a hospital
▪ I was in hospital for eight weeks after the accident.
be admitted to (the) hospital
be brought into a hospital for treatment
▪ A man has been admitted to hospital with gunshot wounds.
hospital bed
a place in a hospital for a sick person
▪ There is an urgent need to make more hospital beds available for long-term patients.
▷ medical center /ˈmedɪk ə l ˌsentəʳ/ [countable noun] American
a very large building that contains a hospital, doctors’ offices, and other medical services :
▪ Frank is being treated at Valley Medical Center with minor injuries.
▪ The test is expensive and available only at certain medical centers.
▷ clinic /ˈklɪnɪk/ [countable noun]
a building, often part of a hospital, where people come for special medical treatment or advice about particular medical problems :
▪ The Harvey Clinic specializes in the treatment of alcohol-related problems.
▪ Ellen decided to go to the family planning clinic for some advice.
▷ hospice /ˈhɒspɪs, ˈhɒspəsǁˈhɑː-/ [countable noun]
a special hospital where people who are dying are looked after :
▪ Mary, who was suffering from terminal cancer, spent her last few months in a hospice.
2. a hospital for people who are mentally ill
▷ mental hospital /ˈmentl ˌhɒspɪtlǁ-ˌhɑːs-/ [countable noun]
▪ Shirley spent most of her adult life in a mental hospital.
▪ At the age of 19 Greg had a nervous breakdown and had to be admitted to a mental hospital.
commit somebody to a mental hospital
▪ Knapman was committed to a mental hospital in August.
▷ psychiatric hospital /ˌsaɪkiˈætrɪk ˌhɒspɪtlǁ-ˌhɑː-/ [countable noun]
a hospital for mentally ill people. Psychiatric hospital is more technical than mental hospital :
▪ Humphrey is in a state psychiatric hospital after being convicted of beating his grandmother.
▪ The judge will decide whether Barry will be sent to prison or a psychiatric hospital.
▷ mental institution also institution /ˈmentl ɪnstə̇ˌtjuːʃ ə n, ˌɪnstə̇ˈtjuːʃ ə nǁ-ˈtuː-/ [countable noun] formal
a hospital for mentally ill people - use this especially when you do not think this is a good place for someone to be treated :
▪ Sally spent several years in an institution.
▪ Psychiatrists argue that closing down mental institutions will lead to more homeless people on our streets.
3. a part of a hospital
▷ unit /ˈjuːnɪt, ˈjuːnət/ [countable noun]
a part of a hospital where a particular type of medical problem is treated :
▪ Funding has been approved for a 40-bed unit for the elderly at Aberdare General Hospital.
coronary/psychiatric/intensive care etc unit
▪ A new psychiatric unit will be added to the John F. Kennedy Medical Center.
▷ casualty (department) British /emergency room American /ˈkæʒuəlti (dɪˌpɑːʳtmənt), ɪˈmɜːʳdʒ ə nsi ˌruːm/ [countable noun]
the part of a hospital you go to for emergency treatment, for example if you have had an accident or if you suddenly become very ill :
▪ He arrived in casualty with multiple injuries to his head.
▪ Thorpe was treated in the casualty department at Middlesborough General.
▪ Emergency room doctors tried to save Ryan’s life.
▷ ward /wɔːʳd/ [countable noun]
a large room in a hospital or a part of a hospital where a group of patients with similar medical conditions have their beds :
▪ Linda is a doctor in a ward for premature babies.
psychiatry/maternity/pediatric etc ward
▪ When her baby was due, Barbara was admitted to the maternity ward of Mercy Hospital.
▷ outpatient /ˈaʊtpeɪʃ ə nt/ [adjective]
outpatient clinic/department
a part of a hospital where people come in for treatment, although they do not stay at the hospital :
▪ Two outpatient clinics in the area are offering drug treatment programs.