dose
/dəʊs/ (bre, ipa) · /dəʊs/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈdōs/ (ame, mw) · /doʊs/ (ame, ipa)
dose — noun
- dosesingular
- dosesplural
1. a specific quantity of a medicinal substance that a patient swallows, injects, o
a specific quantity of a medicinal substance that a patient swallows, injects, or otherwise receives at one interval, as stated on a doctor's prescription.
The doctor told Wren to take one dose of cough syrup every six hours.
collocation: take a dose / dose of [medicine]
Eitan missed his evening dose of antibiotics and felt worse the next morning.
Each dose of the flu vaccine contains exactly 0.5 millilitres of active ingredient.
Without a doctor's advice, you should never increase your daily dose.
Before handing the bottle to Sofia, the pharmacist checked the dose on the label.
文法句型
dose + of + noun
take/administer + dose
用法筆記
Frequently used with adjectives that specify the amount: 'daily dose', 'single dose', 'lethal dose'. The verb 'take' is the most common collocate for the person receiving the medicine; 'administer' is used by medical professionals.
常見錯誤
2. a quantity of something negative — such as criticism, bad news, hard work, or an
a quantity of something negative — such as criticism, bad news, hard work, or an illness — that a person receives or has to deal with.
Sayaka got a sobering dose of reality when she saw her first university tuition bill.
figurative use: dose of reality
A hefty dose of criticism rained down on the mayor during the town-hall meeting.
collocation: dose of criticism
Pim caught a nasty dose of flu and stayed home from work for five days.
The Tanaka family's move to a new country came with a heavy dose of loneliness.
Layla's first taste of Canadian winter was a brutal dose of below-zero temperatures.
文法句型
a dose of + noun (negative experience)
用法筆記
Nearly always followed by 'of' plus a noun that names the negative thing. The noun after 'dose' is typically abstract (reality, criticism, truth) or names an illness (flu, cold). Positive concepts rarely appear in this pattern.
常見錯誤
3. a slang term for gonorrhoea, a sexually transmitted infection that can affect th
a slang term for gonorrhoea, a sexually transmitted infection that can affect the reproductive organs.
The clinic reported several new doses among college students this spring.
slang usage: dose = gonorrhoea infection
Rachid worried he might have caught a dose and booked a test the same day.
The nurse asked whether the patient had had any doses in recent months.
The clinic offers free testing for anyone who thinks they might have a dose.
- the clap
another slang term for gonorrhoea, equally informal
文法句型
have/catch a dose
用法筆記
Strongly slang and potentially offensive in formal or polite conversation. Rarely used in modern medical writing, where 'gonorrhoea' or 'gonococcal infection' is preferred. Learners should recognise this term but avoid using it.
常見錯誤
dose — verb
- dosepresent simple I / you / we / they
- doses3rd person singular
- dosing-ing form
- dosedpast simple
1. to give a person or an animal a carefully measured amount of a medicine, often a
to give a person or an animal a carefully measured amount of a medicine, often at regular times or according to a plan.
The night-shift nurse dosed the patient with painkillers every four hours after surgery.
pattern: dose + patient + with [medication]
Baraka doses his elderly cat with arthritis medicine every morning without fail.
The doctor told Lotte to dose her son with liquid antibiotics twice daily for a week.
Some farmers dose their sheep with vitamins before the winter season begins.
Henrik carefully dosed each child with the correct amount of cough mixture.
- medicate
more formal; implies ongoing treatment rather than a single administration
- administer
very formal; preferred in medical records and official instructions
文法句型
dose + person/animal + with + medicine
用法筆記
Often followed by 'with' to specify the substance given ('dose someone with penicillin'). The passive form is common in medical contexts ('the patient was dosed with anticoagulants'). Can also be used reflexively ('he dosed himself with vitamin C').
常見錯誤
2. to add a measured amount of a substance to something, or to treat something with
to add a measured amount of a substance to something, or to treat something with a chemical agent, usually to achieve a specific result such as cleaning, preserving, or changing its properties.
The pool technician dosed the water with chlorine to kill any bacteria.
pattern: dose + object + with + chemical agent
Christopher dosed his coffee with a splash of vanilla extract for extra flavour.
The cleaning crew dosed the carpets with a stain-removal solution before scrubbing.
The winemaker dosed the grape juice with a small amount of sulfite to prevent spoilage.
文法句型
dose + something + with + substance
用法筆記
Broader than verb sense 1: the added substance is not necessarily a medicine. Common in technical, industrial, and food-processing contexts. Unlike the medical sense, the direct object is typically a non-living thing (water, fuel, soil, crops).