Word: Hydrophobia
Part of Speech: Noun
Definition:Hydrophobia has two main meanings:
Usage Instructions: You can use "hydrophobia" when discussing health-related topics, especially in medical contexts, or when talking about fears and phobias.
Examples: 1. Medical Context: "The dog was diagnosed with hydrophobia after it was bitten by a rabid animal." 2. Fear Context: "After nearly drowning, she developed hydrophobia and avoids swimming pools."
Advanced Usage: In a more advanced context, you might discuss hydrophobia in relation to public health, animal control, or psychology. For example: "The outbreak of rabies in the region raised concerns about hydrophobia in both animals and humans."
Word Variants: - Hydrophobic (adjective): This describes something that repels water or is afraid of water. For example, "The hydrophobic surface of the material causes water to bead up and roll off." - Hydrophobically (adverb): This describes an action done in a hydrophobic manner. For example, "The chemicals reacted hydrophobically, causing the liquid to separate."
Different Meanings: - While hydrophobia primarily refers to fear or the medical condition, in everyday language, it might also be used metaphorically to describe someone who avoids any situation involving water or fluid.
Synonyms: - For the medical context: rabies, rabid infection. - For the fear context: aquaphobia (another term for fear of water), water phobia.
Idioms & Phrasal Verbs:There aren’t specific idioms or phrasal verbs that directly relate to "hydrophobia," but you might encounter phrases like "dive into the deep end," which could metaphorically relate to facing fears, including hydrophobia.