Body and health

Ten words for describing what hurts and how badly. The minimum for a pharmacy, a doctor, or an honest answer to “how are you?”.

Words in the pack

• ache[eɪk]

  a continuous dull pain

  ExamplesI have had an ache in my shoulder for days.
  Synonymspain
  healthnouns
• sore[sɔː]

  painful when touched or used

  ExamplesMy throat is sore.
  healthadjectives
• bruise[bruːz]

  a dark mark on the skin caused by a blow

  ExamplesThere was a bruise on his arm.
  healthnouns
• swollen[ˈswəʊ.lən]

  larger than normal because of injury or illness

  ExamplesHer ankle was swollen.
  healthadjectives
• dizzy[ˈdɪz.i]

  feeling that everything is turning and that you might fall

  ExamplesI stood up too fast and felt dizzy.
  healthadjectives
• cough[kɒf]

  to push air out of your throat suddenly and noisily

  ExamplesHe coughed all night.
  healthverbs
• sneeze[sniːz]

  to blow air out of your nose suddenly and without control

  ExamplesThe dust made me sneeze.
  healthverbs
• rash[ræʃ]

  an area of small red spots on the skin

  ExamplesThe rash cleared up in two days.
  healthnouns
• recover[rɪˈkʌv.ə]

  to become well again after being ill

  ExamplesIt took a week to recover.
  Synonymsheal, get better
  healthverbs
• prescription[prɪˈskrɪp.ʃən]

  a written order from a doctor for a particular medicine

  ExamplesYou need a prescription for that.
  healthnouns