GLOSSARY

AMERICAN IDIOMS

FOR FOREIGN MEDICAL PERSONNEL

REPRODUCED BY
ADNAN A. QATOUNI

Modern Language Center

AMMAN - JORDAN

GLOSSARY
AMERICAN IDIOMS FOR FOREIGN MEDICAL PERSONNEL
This glossary of Colloquial English has been assembled to assist the Foreign Medical Graduate or Nurse in mastering the American idiom. The list is far from exhaustive and could be added to ad infinitum. An effort has been made, however, to select those expressions and words which are most often encountered in a hospital setting. The original list was assembled by INTERMED, a branch of the Philadelphia Council for International Visitors, and later enlarged and amended by the medical liaison department of the International Center in New York, Inc. The list has been checked and approved by the appropriate committee of the New York County Medical Society. We are all indebted to General Telephone & Electronics Corporation, which is publishing the glossary as a public service. The American Association of Foreign Medical Graduates and the National Council of Community Services to International Visitors (COSERV) are assisting in the distribution.
Address Inquires to: The International Center in New York, Inc. 745 Seventh Avenue New York, New York 10019 (212) 245- 4131

PART ONE
COLLOQUIAL ENGLISH
All set: Ready, prepared. Are you all set? Lets go. All thumbs: Clumsy, awkward, especially with hands. Baby: Honey, sweetey, slang term of affection. Beef: to complain, squawk, gripe. What are you beefing about now? Bend over backwards: To make more than a normal effort. To avoid giving displeasure, I bent over backwards to please her and yet she complains. Blues: To be sad, depressed, despondent. I have blues today Also a kind of popular music. Boozing it up: Going on a drinking spree. Brass: Audacity, nerve, gall. She certainly has brass. Bug: To bother or annoy. Dont bug me . Bugged: Wired electronically for eavesdropping. Butterflies in the stomach: Nervousness, fear or anxiety. I have butterflies in the
stomach over my forthcoming interview.

Carried away: To act without caution; be over enthusiastic. Dont get carried away! Catch the devil: To receive a severe reprimand, be scolded. Chick: A young girl. (Slang). Give me cold shoulder: Ignore deliberately, treat with coldness. They gave me the cold
shoulder.

Cool: OK, fine Cool it: Calm down, control yourself. When he became angry, his brother said, cool it, man! Chiseler: Person who tries to get something for nothing, or to get a lower price. Corporation: Large abdomen means corpulent. Couldnt care less: Doesnt concern one or interest in the least way, the opposite of caring about something. Crab: Complainer: Dont be such a crab __ People are cabby sometimes. Call a bluff: Challenge truth of the speaker and request proof of statement made. Cut it out: Stop whatever you are doing, quit kidding. Date: To make a date (appointment) usually between male and female. Dead duck: Finished, come to unpleasant conclusion, marked for annihilation. Dig: Like or understand. I dig classical music (Slang) Dizzy: Frivolous, immature, scatterbrained. Shes a dizzy dame. Dope: Either narcotics or stupid --- dump. Down in the dumps: sad; blue. See blues. Drop dead: Expression of annoyance or disgust, disappear, go away. Eat like a horse: heavy eater. Eat like a bird: Light eater. End of his rope: Unable to go on, desperate. Im at the end of my rope . Falling apart: Unable to function, collapsing. Fed up: Tired of something or someone. Im fed up with that job!" Fink: (Slang) Rat-fink, strike breaker, one who cant be trusted by others. Fired: Dismissed from a job. He was fired for stealing. Flabbergasted: Amazed, astonished, overwhelmed with surprise. Flipped his lid: To become very excited or angry. Fly off the handle: Get very angry. Gab: To talk or chat aimlessly, I have no time to gab!

Gag: Joke, funny trick, means of stuffing mouth to prevent speech; also, retch, stop up mouth. Gets on my nerves: Irritates me, annoys me. Give her the eye: To flirt with a lady; look her over. Give me a ring: Ring me up, telephone me. Go whole hog: To finish a job completely and not turn back. Go to the john: Go to the toilet. Grill: To question in great detail and at great length without consideration. Gripe: To complain, Hes always griping. In the groove : Shes a groovy kid , Its groovy ---- slang used by youth meaning a compliment of some kind. Grow on one: Come to like more and more. At first I didnt like the picture, but it grew
on me.

Grub: Food. Had it: Unable to take any more; Ive had it!

Hes had it. ___at the end of my rope.

Half-backed: Incomplete, off-beat, not thoroughly thought out. Hang on: To persist, stick to it, Dont get discouraged __ hang on. Hangout: To pass ones time, Where does he hangout on Saturdays?
Is that his hangout?

Hand in: Submit, Did he hand in the report? Hang-up: A problem, serious handicap, a fixation on a subject. Harp on: To nag about, to keep talking about ___ Dont harp on that subject. Hassle: Bother; nag. Have a job: To have difficulty __ I have a hard job reaching you by phone. Hick: A person from the country __ not used to city life __ green, provincial. High: Disoriented by drugs or liquor, above reality. Hit it off: To get along well with another person, be sympathetic.
He and she hit it off from the start.

Hit the ceiling: To get very angry or excited. Hit the nail on the head: To make a point exactly and accurately. Hold-up: Burglary (on the street) , stick-up_ Dont resist it if you are the victim of a hold-up Hoofer: Cheap dancer, old-fashioned term for soft-shoe or tap dancing, often in a night club. Hooker: prostitute, whore. I dont know where I stand: Im not sure of my position or our relationship. I know which end is up: Dont try to fool me. I wasnt born yesterday. I can cope with matters. I wasnt born yesterday: Dont try to fool me. I know its all about. Im experienced. In a pinch: In an emergency, in a pressured (tight) situation. Iron out difficulties: Smooth out problems, make things easier. Jittery: Nervous__ Hes jittery all the time. John: W.C. , toilet, lavatory Keep a stiff upper lip: Dont lose courage or heart. Keep your fingers crossed: To wish good luck, hope nothing bad occurs. Keep in touch: Phone or write. Keep punching: Dont give up, keep trying. Kick : Intense pleasure __ He gets a kick out of music.
To kick__ fuss, complain __ What are you kicking about?

Kick up a fuss: Make a commotion, create a disturbance. Kid: Child or youth; to kid__ Tease, fool. Dont try to kid me. Knock oneself out: Work too hard, make too much effort.__Dont knock yourself out! Knows whats what: knows which end is up, has good common sense. Laid-off: Temporarily out of a job. Seasonal slack. I was laid off for one month.

Lets get the show on the road: Lets really work at this and not waste time. Lets start. Look me up, or look him up: Telephone, or come to visit. Lose your cool: To become angry or excited. Lose self-control. Make a touch: Ask for a loan of money. Make-up: 1- Resume friendship after a quarrel. Lets kiss and make up. 2- Work needed to compensate for job not done.
I have to make-up the lessons I missed. 3- Cosmetics, powder, rouge, mascara, etc. She uses too much make up.

Making out: Getting along. Progressing. (currently used by youth to mean sexual intercourse). How are you making out? How are you doing? Monkey business: Not serious, fooling around.
Now, children, no monkey business please.

Mushroom: To grow beyond normal expected rate. The project has mushroomed in the last year. Neat: Admirable, fine, great. In drinking, means straight liquor not diluted or mixed. Nerve: Gall, brass, audacity. Hes got a nerve. Expects much, gives nothing in return. Nervous as a cat: See jittery , tense. Nut: A person behaving in an odd manner. Hes a nut, dont try to understand him. Off the top of your head: Impulsive plan, first thing that comes to mind. Out of the blue: A surprise. Totally unexpected. This just happened out of the blue. Palm off: To dispose of something unwanted by giving it to someone else, to get rid of. Pan out: To work out properly. It didnt pan out. It failed. Par for the course: Just whats expected. Common golf expression. Pass on / away: To die. His father passed on/away last week. Pass the buck: To put off responsibility. To pass on to someone else blame or responsibility for a decision. Pep up: To exhilarate or make lively. That music peps me up. Pick you up: To come and get you (by car or another means) Call you in person and escort you. Pile it on: To exaggerate. He surely can pile it on! Pin me down: Force me to make a definite statement or commitment.
Dont pin me down about my plans.

Pins and needles: Extremely anxious. Im on pins and needles to know the result. Also, the sensation when the blood returns to a foot or hand that has fallen asleep Pipe down! : Shut up, lower your voice, talk less. Pinch-hitter: In baseball, a substitute batter for one who cant hit well. Any substitute. Plant something on a person: Surreptitiously placing something (usually stolen) on a person. The man claimed that the drug had been planted on him. Can also refer to an idea or thought. Play fast and loose: To behave without loyalty or principle. Play hooky: To be absent without permission. The boy played hooky from school. Play it by ear: To act and react without planning ahead. Pops: 1- An old man (slang), contraction of papa. 2- Popular music concert. 2- Soda. Pull his weight: To do his share of the work. He doesnt pull his own weight. Pull your leg: Tease, kid. Pull yourself together: Start functioning, dont permit yourself to fall apart or collapse. Put your shoulder on the wheel: Get active and work, dont sit back doing nothing, do your share of the work.

Put something over: To mislead or give the wrong impression, or To do a good job of persuading __ He can really put a point over. Rap: Talk over, discuss. Lets have a rap session. Right on: Current expression in vogue for approval or encouragement. See you around: informal farewell, good-bye. So long: informal farewell, good-bye. Shes no bargain: Shes nothing special, not to be recommended to anyone. Short and sweet: Something agreeably brief. His speech was short and sweet. Skinned: Cheated. You were skinned on that deal. Skip that one: Refusal to discuss something. Snooze: Sleep or nap. Take a snooze. Square: Person not up-to-date, too old-fashioned or serious. Stick around: Stay here, dont go away. I cant stick around here all day. Stick-in-the-mud: Someone who has no feeling for adventure, or trying something new. Stick-up: A hold-up or burglary usually on the street. Stick-em-up! (put your hands up immediately if someone says this seriously to you.) Steal his thunder: To do something before another person has a chance to do it.
I didnt want to steal his thunder by telling his favorite story.

Stomach: Tolerate or bear. I cant stomach him! Stoned: Stiff, plastered, loaded. All slang for intoxicated. Also drunk, stewed, three sheets to wind, pie-eyed, blotto, crocked, potted, smashed. Take five (or ten): Take time out, a rest or break of 5 or 10 minutes, usually from work or rehearsal. Take a leak: Urinate. Take care: Casual farewell means so long, goodbye for now. Take the hide off: To attack or scold severely. Take time out: Rest period or a breather. __ (see Take Five) Take your time: Dont hurry, theres no rush. Thats one for the book: Something unusual, worth recording or noting. Turned on: Excited by a person; simpatico. You turn me on. Turned off: Disinterested; antagonistic. Up in the air: Suspended mentally. Unsure, undecided. Up your alley: In your special sphere of interest: something that should be of concern to you. Thats just up your alley. Up tight: Tense, nervous, uncommunicative. Wet blanket: Someone who always puts a damper on new ideas, a person who discourages or resists all suggestions. Where its at: Current expression for places or things in vogue or popular. The essence of the matter, the important thing. Work like a dog: Work strenuously; very hard. Work like a horse: Work strenuously; very hard. Write it off: Forget it! Charge it to experience. Represents a loss of some sort that cant be corrected. Wrong side of the track: Originally the bad side of the railroad tracks, not fashionable, poor part of town, in the wrong direction.

PART TWO
COLLOQUIAL MEDICAL TERMS AND EXPRESSIONS 1. GASTROINTESTINAL
Belly: Abdomen, stomach. Belly button: Umbilicus, navel. Stomach: Bread Basket, abdomen, (V) to Stomach: to bear or to like. I cant stomach her. Tummy: Stomach Move bowels: Defecate, evacuate. Tied up: vomit; regurgitate. Sick to my stomach: feeling nauseous; like vomiting Throw up: Vomit, regurgitate. Puke: Vomit; regurgitate. Belch: Eruct (Bring up gas from stomach, usually with noise) Burp: Eruct (usually necessary to relieve gas. Pass Wind: Flatus from rectum. Pass Gas: Flatus from rectum. Fart: Flatus from rectum. Coarse or impolite term. Slime: Mucus. Go to the bathroom: Urinate and / or defecate. (Has no relation to bathing) Piles: Hemorrhoids. Rear End Trouble: Hemorrhoids. Travelers Disease: Diarrhea. Trots, Runs: Diarrhea. Foot pipe: Esophagus. Rupture: Hernia. Cast Iron Stomach: Never gets indigestion, can eat anything Guts: Intestines; abdomen, insides (Also used to mean courage.) Pot Belly: Protruding abdomen; round stomach. (Also a kind of old-fashioned stove.) Bread Basket: Stomach. Crud: Gastroenteritis, diarrhea. 24 Hour Virus: Gastroenteritis, or Flu __ brief case of influenza. 2- GENITOURINARY Bottom: Female genitalia. The Channel: Urethra, vagina. Pee: Urinate. Wee: Urinate. Piss: Urinate. Pass Water: Urinate. Privates: Genitalia. Change of Life: Menopause (Usually refers to female, but also applies to male.) Hot Flashes: Menopause symptoms. Dose: Gonorrhea.

Clap: Gonorrhea. Drip: Gonorrhea. Nature: Libido or Potency. Period: Menstruation. Friend: Menstruation. Falling off the Roof: Menstruation. Haircut: Chancre, syphilitic sore. Strain: Penile discharge of pus. Drip: Penile discharge of pus. Gleet: Penile discharge of pus. Pass to Tube: Catheterize. Bad Blood: Positive Serology. Syph: Syphilis. Clogs: Clots (Vaginal Bleeding) Fire Birds: Uterine Fibroids. Pus Tubes: Pelvic inflammatory disease. Instrument: Penis. Prick: Penis. Organ: Penis. Shack up with: Have intercourse. Sleep with: Have intercourse. Have relations with: Have intercourse. Nuts: Testicles. Balls: Testicles, also a vulgar expletive.
3- PSYCHIATRIC TERMS

Shrink: Psychiatrist. Lying on a coach: Seeing a Psychiatrist. Crazy: Psychotic, used commonly to describe unusual behavior. Nuts: Psychotic, used commonly to describe unusual behavior. Psycho: Psychotic, used commonly to describe unusual behavior. Hearing voices: Auditory hallucinations. Gay: Homosexual. Queer: Homosexual Fag: Male Homosexual Fairy: Male Homosexual Pansy: Male Homosexual Daisy: Female homosexual, Lesbian. ( ) Dike: Female homosexual, Lesbian.( ) Butch: Female homosexual, Lesbian.( )
4- ALCOHOLIC AND NARCOTIC TERMS

Pot: Marijuana (they smoke pot) Reefer: Marijuana cigarette. Joint: Marijuana cigarette. Mainline: Intravenous use of addicting drug (usually heroin) Hash: Hashish. Hooked: Addicted to narcotics. Drugs: Narcotics. Also refers to medicines properly and legally needed.

Cokey: Cocaine Addict. Pep Pills: Amphetamines. Speed: Methamphetamine. High: Under influence of alcohol or narcotics. Loaded: Intoxicated with alcohol (liquor) Stoned: Intoxicated with alcohol (liquor) Blackout: Fainting or alcoholic drug amnesia. Booze: Alcoholic Beverages. On the wagon: Stopped drinking On the wagon: Started heavy drinking. Binge: Excessive drinking. Bender: Excessive drinking. Lost weekend: Excessive drinking. Rams: Early Alcoholic Hallucinosis. Smoke: Wood alcohol (Methanol) Iron: Home-made Ethanol. White lightning: Home-made Ethanol. D.T.s: Delirium Tremens, acute insanity due to alcoholism. Shakes: Delirium Tremens, acute insanity due to alcoholism. Off the Stuff: No longer addicted. Ups: Stimulant pills. Downs: Depressant pills. Clean: No longer taking drugs.
5- ANATOMICAL TERMS

Belly button: Umbilicus, Navel. Shoulder Blade: Scapula Side: Lateral Part of Abdomen or Thorax Bottom: Anus or Buttocks. Fanny: Buttocks. Cheek: Buttocks. Butt: Buttocks. Tuschy: Buttocks. Collar Bone: Clavicle.
6-PAIN OR DISTRESS TERMS

Misery: General or localized discomfort. Stitch: Short, localized pain. Sore: Tenderness or Aching. Charley Horse: Muscular Tenderness or Soreness, usually in calf. Hurt: Pain or Ache.

7-MISCELLANEOUS

High blood: Hypertension. Low blood: Hypotension. Bad blood: Syphilis, Gonorrhea. Sweet blood: Diabetes. Sugar: Diabetes Mellitus . Thin blood: Anemia, Anticoagulated. Double Pneumonia: Any severe Bronchitis. Dizzy: Pre Syncope or Vertigo. Also, mixed-up; confused; wild. Pass out: Lose consciousness, faint. Blackout: Syncope, loss of consciousness. Knocked out: Struck unconscious (as in a fight) Out like a light: Sound asleep or fainted. Pooped: Exhausted, all in , extreme fatigue. Fall out: Faint. Shots: Immunization, vaccination, any injection. Needles: injection. Needles and pins: Tingling sensation in limbs; in suspense. (Hes on needles and pins waiting for the decision.) Air pipe: Trachea. Feel Crumby: Feel sick, not well. Turned blue: Cyanosis. Black and Blue: Discoloration due to bruise. Shingles: Herpes Zoster. Mash: Crush. (He mashed his finger in the car door.) Fester: Infected. Moribund: Near death, in a dying state. On his last legs: Close to death, moribund. Expired: Died. Kicked the bucket: Died. Passed away: Died. Gone to heaven: Died.

PART II A MEDICAL ABBREVIATIONS Abbr. aal a.d. a.s. alb. a.m. ashd ascvd bact. b.e. b.m.r. b.r.p b.u.n. c cal. c.b.c. c.c. chem. cho clin.path. conc. c.v.d. d.o.a. d.c. d.&c. dx. e.e.g. e.n.t. e.k. (e.c.g.) e.o.m. f. f.b.s. f.h. g.i. glob. g.u. gyn. h.&e. h.c.v.d. h.p.f. h.p.i. Meaning Anterior __ axillary line Right ear Left ear Albumin Care morning care Arteriosclerotic heart disease Arteriosclerotic cardio vascular disease Bacteriology Barium enema Basal metabolic rate Bathroom privileges Blood urea nitrogen With Calorie Complete blood count Chief complaint Chemistry Carbohydrate Clinical pathology Concentration Cardiovascular disease Dead on arrival Discontinue Dilatation & curettage Diagnosis Electroencephalogram Eyes, ears, nose and throat Electrocardiogram Extra ocular muscle movements Female Fasting blood sugar Family history Gastro-intestinal Globulin Genitor-urinary or urological Gynecological or gynecology Hemorrhages and exudates Hypertensive cardiovascular disease High power field History of present illness Arabic ( )

Abbr. hgb. or hb. i&d i.u.d. i.v.p. liq. l.m.d. l.p. l&a m. m.a.l. m.c.l. o.d. o.s o.p.d. Oxy. n.s.r. n&v p.a.l. p.i. pill perla. p.m. p.m. care p.m.h. p.m.i. post - op p. & a. p.t.a pre-op. pro. Prov. diag. pt. r.b.c. r.r.e. rx. r of s s s.s.e. s.h. sma (6,12,18) s.t.s. serology t.p.r. u.a. u.g.i. Abbr.

Meaning Hemoglobin Incision and drainage Intra uterine device (contraceptive coil) Intravenous pyelegram Liquid Local medical doctor Lumbar puncture
Light and accommodation (refers to reaction of pupils)

Arabic ( ) ( ) ( ) Arabic

Male Mid axillary line Mid clavicular line Right eye Left eye Out patient department Oxygen Normal sinus rhythm Nausea & vomiting Posterior axillary line Present illness Oral contraceptive
Pupils equal, react to light & accommodation

Post mortem or autopsy Evening care Past medical history Point of maximal impulse of heart Postoperative Percussion auscultation Prior to this admission Preoperative Protein Provisional diagnosis patient Red blood cells or red blood count Round, regular, equal
(refers to examination of pupils)

Treatment; prescription Review of systems without Soap suds enema Social history Automated laboratory screening tests Serologic test for syphilis Serologic test for syphilis Temperature, pulse, respiration Urinalysis Upper gastrointestinal series Meaning

v.d. v.s. w.b.c.

Venereal disease Vital signs

(temp., pulse, respiration, blood pressure)

White blood cells or white blood count B - PRESCRIPTIONS

Abbr. ea. a.c. p.c. p.o. (h) ad.lib. p.r.n. o.d. o.n. b.i.d. ss. m. q.s. i.m. i.v. stat. pt. qt. tbsp. Tsp t.i.d. q.i.d. h.s. q.3h. q.4h q.8h q.12 q.h q.n.s g. gr. gtt. c.c. Of each Before meals

Meaning
(7:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. , 4:30 p.m.)

Arabic ) (

After meals
(9:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. , 5:00 p.m.)

By mouth Hypodermically As desired Whenever necessary Once a day Once a night Twice a day One half Minimum Quantity sufficient Intramuscularly Intravenously Immediately Pint Quart Tablespoon Teaspoon 3 times a day 4 times a day Hour of sleep Every three hours day and night Every four hours day and night Every eight hours day and night Every 12 hours Every hour Quantity not sufficient Gram Grain Drop Cubic centimeter