| Front | acute |
|---|---|
| Back | a‧cute /əˈkjuːt/ adjective 1problem an acute problem is very serious: The housing shortage is more acute than first thought. 2feeling an acute feeling is very strong: acute pain acute embarrassment acute anxiety 3illness technical an acute illness or disease quickly becomes very serious OPP chronic: acute arthritis 4senses acute senses such as hearing, taste, touch etc are very good and sensitive: Young children have a particularly acute sense of smell. 5intelligent quick to notice and understand things SYN sharp: Simon’s vague manner concealed an acute mind. an acute analysis of Middle Eastern politics 6mathematics technical an acute angle is less than 90° → obtuse 7punctuation an acute accent (=a mark used to show pronunciation) is a small mark written above a vowel. In ‘café’, the letter ‘e’ has an acute accent → grave, circumflex —acuteness noun [uncountable] THESAURUS very bad serious very bad – used about problems, accidents, illnesses, or crimes: Violent crime is a serious problem in and around the capital. | The boy was taken to hospital with serious head injuries. | Fortunately, the damage to the car was not serious. severe very serious – used about problems, injuries, and illnesses: He suffered severe injuries in a car crash. | The problem became so severe that they had to bring water in from other countries. | severe epilepsy grave used about a situation that is very serious and worrying, especially because it is dangerous or seems likely to get worse: A thick fog descended and I knew that we were in grave danger. | The situation is grave – war now seems inevitable. acute used about an illness, problem, or situation that has become very serious or dangerous, and needs to be dealt with quickly: She was taken to the hospital suffering from acute appendicitis. | In San Diego, the shortage of skilled workers is acute. desperate used about a situation or problem that is very serious or dangerous, especially because a lot of people need urgent help: The situation is desperate – people here need aid before the harsh winter sets in. | The hospital is full of people in desperate need of medical attention. critical used about a situation that is very serious and dangerous and might get worse suddenly: In 1991, the food supply situation became critical. | Eight people were killed and four are still in a critical condition. life-threatening used about a situation, illness, or condition in which someone could die: Her child had a potentially life-threatening illness. | The situation was not life-threatening, but it was very worrying. be a matter of life and death spoken to be extremely serious – used when a situation is very urgent or important: For people living with HIV, getting the right treatment is literally a matter of life and death. |
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