paralysis
paralysis — noun
1. the medical condition of losing the power to move some or all of your muscles, o
the medical condition of losing the power to move some or all of your muscles, often after a serious illness, an accident, or damage to the nerves.
The doctor warned that the spinal injury might cause permanent paralysis in both legs.
paralysis in [body part]
After the stroke, Mrs. Liu suffered paralysis on the left side of her face.
suffer + paralysis on [body part]
Untreated polio can lead to paralysis of the legs in young children.
The car crash left Marcus with permanent paralysis from the waist down.
Years of physical therapy helped Hannah recover slowly from the paralysis in her right arm.
- palsy
older or medical term, often in fixed names like cerebral palsy
- immobility
broader and less clinical; not always caused by nerve damage
- mobility
the ability to move freely
文法句型
paralysis of [body part]
suffer + paralysis
用法筆記
Often appears with a body-part complement introduced by 'of' or 'in' (paralysis of the legs, paralysis in her arm). Distinguish from sense 2: this sense always describes physical loss of movement, not an inability to make decisions.
常見錯誤
2. a situation, often in a government, company, or group, where no progress or deci
a situation, often in a government, company, or group, where no progress or decisions can be made because people feel stuck or cannot agree.
Months of arguing between the two parties caused complete paralysis in parliament.
paralysis in [organisation]
Fear of failure left Sofia in a state of paralysis for weeks before the exam.
in a state of paralysis (set phrase)
Too many choices on the menu can cause a kind of paralysis when you try to order.
The new prime minister promised to end the political paralysis that had hurt the country for years.
Mr. Chen warned that endless meetings would only lead to paralysis inside the company.
- deadlock
two sides cannot agree, so nothing moves forward
- stagnation
long period with no growth or change, often economic
- inaction
simple failure to do anything; less dramatic than paralysis
- progress
movement forward in plans or decisions
- decisiveness
the ability to decide quickly and firmly
文法句型
paralysis in [system/group]
political/economic paralysis
用法筆記
Frequently modified by adjectives that name the affected domain (political, economic, bureaucratic, emotional). Often used in news writing about governments or large organisations. Distinguish from sense 1: no physical illness is involved, only an inability to act or decide.