I. doc ‧ tor 1 S1 W1 /ˈdɒktə $ ˈdɑːktər/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: doctour , from Latin doctor 'teacher' , from docere 'to teach' ]
1 . ( written abbreviation Dr ) someone who is trained to treat people who are ill ⇨ GP :
She was treated by her local doctor.
I’d like to make an appointment to see Dr Pugh.
the doctor’s informal (=the place where your doctor works)
‘Where’s Sandy today?’ ‘I think she’s at the doctor’s.’
2 . someone who holds the highest level of degree given by a university ⇨ doctoral :
a Doctor of Law
3 . be just what the doctor ordered informal to be exactly what someone needs or wants:
A 2–0 victory is just what the doctor ordered.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ go to the doctor
I’d been having bad headaches so I went to the doctor.
▪ see a doctor ( also visit a doctor American English ) (=go to the doctor)
Have you seen a doctor about it yet?
▪ ask a doctor ( also consult a doctor formal )
If you have any of these symptoms, you should consult a doctor.
▪ call a doctor (=telephone one, especially to ask them to come to you)
His mother was very worried and called the doctor.
▪ get a doctor (=arrange for one to come to you)
In the middle of the night we decided to get the doctor.
▪ a doctor examines somebody
The doctor examined her and said she had a chest infection.
▪ a doctor prescribes something (=writes an order for medicine for someone)
My doctor prescribed a course of antibiotics.
▪ a doctor diagnoses flu/depression etc (=says what illness someone has)
The doctor diagnosed malaria.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + doctor
▪ a family doctor (=who treats all the members of a family)
We’ve had the same family doctor for fifteen years.
▪ sb’s local doctor (=working near where you live)
You should go and see your local doctor.
▪ a hospital doctor British English (=working in a hospital)
Junior hospital doctors have to work very long hours.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ doctor someone who treats people who are ill, who has completed a long course of study at medical school:
If you have bad chest pains, you should see a doctor.
▪ GP British English a doctor who is trained in general medicine and who treats the people who live in a local area:
My GP told me that I must lose weight.
▪ physician /fəˈzɪʃ ə n, fɪˈzɪʃ ə n/ formal especially American English a doctor:
the American physician, Dr James Tyler Kent
▪ quack informal someone who pretends to be a doctor:
My father felt that people practicing alternative medicine were just a bunch of quacks.
▪ the medical profession doctors and nurses considered as a group:
This view is widely accepted among the medical profession.
▪ surgeon /ˈsɜːdʒ ə n $ ˈsɜːr-/ a doctor who does operations in a hospital:
One of the world’s top heart surgeons performed the operation.
▪ specialist a doctor with special knowledge about a particular illness, part of the body, or type of treatment:
The new drug is being tested by cancer specialists.
|
an eye specialist
▪ consultant British English a very senior doctor in a hospital, with a lot of knowledge about a particular area of medicine:
The consultant said that he did not think it was cancer.
▪ paramedic someone who has been trained to treat sick or injured people, especially at the scene of an accident:
Paramedics treated him for shock.
▪ vet ( also veterinarian especially American English ) a doctor who treats animals:
We took the cat to the vet.
▪ paediatrician British English , pediatrician American English a doctor who treats children who are sick
▪ gynaecologist British English , gynecologist American English a doctor who treats medical conditions and illnesses that affect women’s bodies
▪ obstetrician a doctor who deals with the birth of children
▪ radiographer someone whose job is to take ↑ X-ray s or to treat people using an X-ray machine
■ a doctor who treats mental illness
▪ psychiatrist /saɪˈkaɪətrəst, saɪˈkaɪətrɪst $ sə-/ a doctor who is trained to treat people with mental illnesses:
In order to become a psychiatrist, you first need a medical degree.
▪ psychologist /saɪˈkɒlədʒəst, saɪˈkɒlədʒɪst $ -ˈkɑː-/ a scientist who studies and is trained in ↑ psychology (=the study of the mind) :
Many psychologists believe that aggression is a learned behaviour.
▪ shrink informal a humorous word for a ↑ psychiatrist
▪ therapist a trained person whose job is to help people with their emotional problems, especially by talking to them and asking them to talk about their feelings
■ someone who is studying to be a doctor
▪ medical student a student who is studying medicine in order to be a doctor:
James is a medical student at Edinburgh university.
▪ intern American English a student who has almost finished studying to be a doctor, and who is working in a hospital
II. doctor 2 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
1 . to dishonestly change something in order to gain an advantage:
He had doctored his passport to pass her off as his daughter.
There are concerns that some players have been doctoring the ball.
2 . to add something harmful to food or drink:
Paul suspected that his drink had been doctored.
3 . to remove part of the sex organs of an animal to prevent it from having babies SYN neuter :
You should have your cat doctored.
4 . to give someone medical treatment, especially when you are not a doctor:
Bill doctored the horses with a strong-smelling ointment.