noun
shock
A dangerous condition in which too little blood reaches the body's tissues.
The injured patient shows signs of shock.
Etymology
The general word for a violent impact became a medical term for systemic collapse after injury or illness. Its precise modern sense concerns inadequate tissue perfusion.
More examples
- The medical team treated her for shock.
- The report distinguished shock from ordinary emotional distress.
- He developed shock after the severe injury.
Forms
shock
Similar words
- circulatory failure
- A broader medical description related to inadequate circulation.