health
the condition of the body and the degree to which it is free from illness, or the state of being well
I’m worried about my husband’s health.
Oxford Essential Dictionary
health
noun (no plural)
the condition of your body:
Smoking is bad for your health.
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
health
health S1 W1 /helθ/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[Word Family: noun: health, healthiness; adverb: healthily ≠ unhealthily; adjective: healthy ≠ unhealthy]
[Language: Old English; Origin: hælth, from hal; ⇨ whole1]
1. the general condition of your body and how healthy you are:
I’m worried about my husband’s health.
2. the work of providing medical services to keep people healthy:
The government has promised to spend more on health and education.
health insurance
nurses and other health workers ⇨ public health
3. when you have no illness or disease:
Even if you haven’t got much money, at least you’ve got your health.
When we last met, he was glowing with health (=was clearly very healthy).
4. how successful something such as a business, an organization, or a country’s ↑economy is:
The monthly trade figures are seen as an indicator of the health of the economy.
⇨ a clean bill of health at clean1(13)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ good Physical exercise is essential to good health.
▪ excellent At the age of 70, her health is excellent.
▪ poor He wanted to join the army but his health was too poor.
▪ ill health He retired early due to ill health.
▪ failing health (=when someone is becoming more ill) Despite failing health, he travelled to Australia to visit his son.
▪ mental health Poverty affects children's physical and mental health.
▪ physical health Her physical health was generally good.
▪ sexual health The programme aims to educate teenagers about sexual health.
▪ general health (=the health of your whole body rather than a particular part) A balanced diet will improve your general health.
▪ human health Some chemicals pose a significant risk to human health.
■ verbs
▪ damage your health There is no doubt that smoking can seriously damage your health.
▪ endanger your health (=cause danger to your health) Being overweight endangers your health.
▪ improve (somebody's) health Doing more exercise will improve your health.
▪ somebody's health improves Her health improved slowly after she came home from hospital.
▪ somebody's health deteriorates (=gets worse) Her health deteriorated rapidly.
■ health + NOUN
▪ health care (=care from doctors, nurses etc) Many Americans cannot afford even basic health care.
▪ a health problem He missed a lot of time at work through health problems.
▪ a health risk/hazard/threat (=something that could damage your health) The report looked at the health risks linked to eating excess sugar.
▪ health benefits the health benefits of doing yoga
▪ health effects The study looked at the long-term health effects of drinking alcohol.
▪ a health warning (=a warning printed on a product that could harm you) the health warning on cigarette packets
■ phrases
▪ be in good/poor health (=be healthy/unhealthy) Her parents were elderly and in poor health.
▪ be good/bad for your health Eating plenty of vegetables is good for your health.
▪ somebody's state of health Your choice of exercise must depend on your general state of health.
▪ health and well-being The breakfast program improves the health and well-being of the children.
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
health
health [helθ] [helθ] noun uncountable
1. the condition of a person's body or mind
• Exhaust fumes are bad for your health.
• to be in poor/good/excellent/the best of health
• Smoking can seriously damage your health.
• mental health
• Your (very) good health! (= said before drinking alcohol to express good wishes for sb's health and happiness)
see also ill health
2. the state of being physically and mentally healthy
• He was nursed back to health by his wife.
• She was glowing with health and clearly enjoying life.
• As long as you have your health, nothing else matters.
3. the work of providing medical services
• All parties are promising to increase spending on health.
• the Health Minister
• the Department of Health
• health insurance
• health and safety regulations (= laws that protect the health of people at work)
4. how successful sth is
• the health of your marriage/finances
see a clean bill of health at clean adj., drink sb's health at drink v., propose sb's health at propose, in rude health at rude
Word Origin:
Old English hǣlth, of Germanic origin; related to whole.
Thesaurus:
health [health] noun U
• Exhaust fumes are bad for your health.
fitness • • condition • • shape • • well-being • • constitution •
sb's general/physical health/fitness/condition/well-being
sb's health/fitness/condition deteriorates/improves
maintain/regain your health/fitness
be in good health/shape
Example Bank:
• He felt in much better health.
• He had to retire due to ill health.
• He is unable to travel far because of his state of health.
• Health visitors give families support for infant care and development.
• Her health gradually improved.
• His health began to fail under the heavy pressures of the job.
• How is primary health care best delivered?
• She was nursed back to full health.
• She's never really enjoyed good health.
• Smoking is bad for your health.
• Some athletes are prepared to risk their health to win a medal.
• The air quality was so bad that the government issued a health warning.
• The poisoned food has been removed from the shops and there is no threat to public health.
• There is no threat to public health from this paint.
• You need to maintain your physical and mental health.
• Your doctor, midwife or health visitor will advise.
• a campaign to promote better health in the workplace
• a community health centre/center
• community health care
• environmental health officers
• health and safety at work
• health food stores
• private health insurance
• the district/local/regional health authority
• the health benefits of physical activity
• ways to improve the nation's general health
• He has been in poor health for some time now.
• Her mental health began to deteriorate.
• She has always enjoyed the best of health.
• She was forced to resign because of ill health.
• Smoking can seriously damage your health.
• The government project aims to promote health in disadvantaged areas.
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
health / helθ / noun [ U ]
A2 the condition of the body and the degree to which it is free from illness, or the state of being well:
to be in good/poor health
Regular exercise is good for your health.
I had to give up drinking for health reasons.
He gave up work because of ill health.
the condition of something that changes or develops, such as an organization or system:
the financial health of the business
Word partners for health
sb's state of health • (in) excellent / good / ill / poor health • sb's health deteriorates / improves / worsens • damage / improve sb's health • health benefits / effects / problems
© Cambridge University Press 2013
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary
health
[he̱lθ]
♦
1) N-UNCOUNT: oft with poss A person's health is the condition of their body and the extent to which it is free from illness or is able to resist illness.
Tea contains caffeine. It's bad for your health.
2) N-UNCOUNT Health is a state in which a person is not suffering from any illness and is feeling well.
In hospital they nursed me back to health.
3) PHRASE: V inflects When you drink to someone's health or drink their health, you have a drink as a sign of wishing them health and happiness.
In the village pub, regulars drank the health of John and his father.
4) N-UNCOUNT The health of something such as an organization or a system is its success and the fact that it is working well.
There's no way to predict the future health of the banking industry.
Syn:
prosperity
Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary
1health /ˈhɛlɵ/ noun [noncount]
1 a : the condition of being well or free from disease
• We nursed him back to health.
• My aunt is quite elderly, but she still has her health. [=she is still healthy]
• She is the picture of health. [=she is very healthy]
✦If you drink (to) someone's health, you take a drink as a wish for that person to be healthy.
b : the overall condition of someone's body or mind
• He's in good/poor health these days.
• He has continued to enjoy good health in his old age.
• Her health is excellent. = She is in the best of health.
• Smoking is bad for your health.
• He is concerned about his sister's mental health.
2 : the condition or state of something
• We must protect the health of our oceans.
• The economy is in a period of robust financial health.
• Investors are worried about the company's health.
give (someone or something) a clean bill of health
- see 1bill
