Glossary of Difficult Words from A to Z
A
Abacus: A wooden box with ten parallel wires and ten beads on each wire used for counting.
Abdicate: To relinquish power (e.g., The king abdicated).
Aboriginal: A primitive inhabitant of a country. / Native: A plant or animal from the place where you live.
Abreva: Watering livestock / Manger: Pond, river, or container where livestock drink.
Absolve: To free a defendant from guilt (e.g., The prisoner was acquitted).
Abusus: Abuse of Power
Acicate (spur): Spur a single tip / encouragement, motivation
Read MoreUnderstanding Fibromyalgia: A Biopsychosocial Approach
Foundations of Modern & Contemporary Medicine
Historical Context
From the 17th to 19th centuries, a methodical doubt shaped medical understanding, dividing human nature into body and mind. Newtonian physics viewed the body as a biological machine governed by classical laws. Contemporary medicine, however, recognizes the universe as an interconnected system where chance and chaos play a role (quantum physics, uncertainty principle, relativity). This holistic, ecological perspective allows medicine
Read MoreAcute Diarrhea Management in Primary Care
Acute Diarrhea in Primary Care
Syndrome
Diarrhea is defined as an increase in the volume or fluidity of stools relative to an individual’s normal bowel habit.
Acute diarrhea lasts less than 3 weeks, while chronic diarrhea persists for more than 3 weeks. It is an important health problem due to its high morbidity and mortality, and it can also lead to significant societal costs due to work and school absenteeism.
Causes
There are multiple causes of diarrhea, and determining the exact etiology is often
Read MoreBurn and Back Injuries: Overview and Recovery
Burn Injuries
Classification
Burns are classified by depth and size:
- 1st-degree (superficial): Affects the top layer of skin. Healing time: 2-3 weeks.
- 2nd-degree (partial-thickness): Affects the top two layers of skin. Healing time: 2-3 weeks.
- 3rd-degree (full-thickness): Affects skin, fat, and tissue above muscle. Slow healing, severe scarring, loss of range of motion.
- 4th-degree (deep full-thickness): Affects skin, fat, muscle, and bone. Slow healing, severe scarring, loss of range of motion.
A patient’
Read MoreA Glossary of Poetic Terms
A
Abrivat: Impetuous, intrepid.
Aferrall: To hold.
Agency: To have, possess.
Alimara: Beacon, especially for signals in watchtowers and ramparts.
Amber: Fossilized pine resin used in jewelry.
Am: Home, hearth.
Anarafluixant: Laxative.
Argentine: Similar to silver; figuratively, white.
Armistice: Truce.
Arrant: Result, outcome.
Atai: To set on fire.
Aureus: Like gold.
B
Balandrejar: Oscillate, sway.
Battlements: Building with small pillars at the top of a fortress.
Beauty: Splendor, loveliness.
Beef Belly Leather:
Read MoreThe Adventures of Lazarillo and the Blind Man
Episode of the Sausage
At an inn in Escalona, I was given a piece of sausage. After I ate, the blind man gave me a penny for wine. The fire was a turnip, unfit for cooking. Seeing no one around and smelling the sausage, I swapped it for the turnip. I fetched the wine, and the blind man ate the sausage. Upon my return, he had the turnip between bread slices, believing it was sausage. Biting into it, he found the hard turnip. “What is this, Lazarillo?” he asked. “I don’t know,” I lied. “Someone must
Read More