shell shock
A psychiatric condition characterized by fatigue caused by battle, corresponding…A psychiatric condition characterized by fatigue caused by battle, corresponding largely with the current diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder.
» We were both shell-shocked.
Meaning
4 senses(historical, uncountable)A psychiatric condition characterized by fatigue caused by battle, corresponding largely with the current diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Kriegszitterer
конту́зияkontúzija
a mental disorder caused by stress of active warfare
(colloquial, countable, uncountable)A person with the condition.
(broadly, countable, figuratively, uncountable)A stunning shock.
(countable, uncountable)Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see shell, shock.
Examples
4 sentencesWe were both shell-shocked.
The shell-shocked soldier sat silently, lost in his memories.
Mary was completely shell-shocked after Tom dressed her down for being late for the meeting.
ruМэри была совершенно потрясена, когда Том устроил ей разнос из-за опоздания на встречу. — odexed
Shell shock is a combination of psychological and physical disorders observed in some soldiers during the First World War.
Translations
5 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
Well attested during World War I. Attempts to find attestations that predate that war seemWell attested during World War I. Attempts to find attestations that predate that war seem fruitless. The ambiguity of reference to a range of phenomena, from physical concussion due to the explosively loud noise of artillery fire (on both the sending and receiving ends) to psychological reactions to violence and maiming, was present in the term's use from the start. In 21st-century wars there is continued evidence that long, close exposure to the noise of artillery can cause traumatic brain injury even in soldiers who did not take incoming artillery fire. But most discussions of shell shock in World War I concerned combat stress as well.
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Forms
plural: shell shocksSynonyms
3 synonyms- a mental disorder caused by stress of active warfare:battle fatiguecombat fatiguecombat neurosis
Lessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable