disease
disease — noun
1. an abnormal state in a living body where normal functions are disrupted, typical
an abnormal state in a living body where normal functions are disrupted, typically resulting from infection, genetic defects, or organ failure
The doctor told Kofi that his heart disease could be managed with medication and exercise.
uncountable: heart disease / kidney disease
Many children in the region were vaccinated to prevent the spread of the disease.
passive: 'spread of the disease'
Rania's grandmother suffered from a rare disease that gradually affected her eyesight.
A strange disease killed nearly half of the village's cattle during the harsh winter.
After months of tests, the hospital finally identified Linh's disease as a genetic disorder.
- illness
broader and more everyday term; 'illness' can describe the experience of being unwell, while 'disease' suggests a specific medical condition
- sickness
more informal and can include temporary stomach upset; 'sickness' often refers to feeling ill rather than a lasting condition
- disorder
used especially for mental or functional conditions (e.g. sleep disorder); feels more clinical and less severe than 'disease'
- infection
specifically caused by germs; a subset of diseases, not all diseases are infections
- health
the state of being free from disease
文法句型
the disease
a disease
[modifier] + disease
disease + [verb]
用法筆記
Unlike injury (傷), disease refers to an internal condition rather than harm from an external physical event. In everyday conversation, 'disease' often names a specific condition (heart disease, Lyme disease), while 'illness' is more general.
常見錯誤
2. a serious and harmful problem that spreads through a society, organisation, or g
a serious and harmful problem that spreads through a society, organisation, or group of people, damaging its health or well-being
Faisal called poverty a disease that slowly destroys communities from the inside.
figurative: 'call [something] a disease'
The corruption scandal convinced Jessica that greed had become a disease in the banking industry.
Many voters see dishonesty in politics as a disease that must be cured to restore trust.
More teachers now view student apathy as a disease affecting the entire school system.
- plague
more dramatic and intense; 'plague' suggests widespread destruction and is often used with 'of' (a plague of violence)
- blight
suggests something that prevents growth or flourishing; common in urban/social contexts (urban blight)
- cancer
carries a stronger connotation of something that grows uncontrollably and destroys from within
- remedy
something that cures or corrects a harmful situation
文法句型
a + [modifier] + disease + of/among [group]
用法筆記
Always used with a modifier or in a 'disease of/among [group]' construction — never alone in the figurative sense. The modifier identifies the problem (greed, poverty, dishonesty) or the affected group. This sense is common in journalism, opinion writing, and political commentary.