Gangrene
noun
A medical condition where body tissue dies because it is not getting enough blood.
The doctor had to amputate his leg to stop the gangrene from spreading.

Often appears as...
- spread of gangrene
- gangrene infection
Usage tips
Formal
Technical
noun
Dissatisfaction or slow decay.
The unresolved issues are causing a gangrene in their relationship.

Often appears as...
- gangrene in the system
- a gangrene in relationships
Usage tips
Figurative
noun
A medical condition where body tissue dies because it is not getting enough blood.
The doctor had to amputate his leg to stop the gangrene from spreading.

Often appears as...
- spread of gangrene
- gangrene infection
Usage tips
Formal
Technical
noun
Dissatisfaction or slow decay.
The unresolved issues are causing a gangrene in their relationship.

Often appears as...
- gangrene in the system
- a gangrene in relationships
Usage tips
Figurative
Definition 1 of 2

Medical Urgency
Gangrene is used to describe a severe medical emergency often requiring surgery.

The patient was rushed into surgery due to gangrene.
Not Contagious
Unlike infections, gangrene isn't contagious but demands immediate treatment.

Her wound led to gangrene, but her family wasn't at risk of catching it.
Visual Cues
The term implies visual changes in the tissue such as blackening or discolouration.

The dark color of his toes was a clear sign of gangrene setting in.
Medical Urgency
Gangrene is used to describe a severe medical emergency often requiring surgery.

The patient was rushed into surgery due to gangrene.
Not Contagious
Unlike infections, gangrene isn't contagious but demands immediate treatment.

Her wound led to gangrene, but her family wasn't at risk of catching it.
Visual Cues
The term implies visual changes in the tissue such as blackening or discolouration.

The dark color of his toes was a clear sign of gangrene setting in.
Medical Urgency
Gangrene is used to describe a severe medical emergency often requiring surgery.

The patient was rushed into surgery due to gangrene.
Not Contagious
Unlike infections, gangrene isn't contagious but demands immediate treatment.

Her wound led to gangrene, but her family wasn't at risk of catching it.
Visual Cues
The term implies visual changes in the tissue such as blackening or discolouration.

The dark color of his toes was a clear sign of gangrene setting in.
Video examples
3 clues to understanding...
OK, how is all this complex circuitry set up in the brain? Is it nature, genes, or is it nurture? And we approach this problem by considering another curious syndrome called phantom limb. And you all know what a phantom limb is. When an arm is amputated, or a leg is amputated, for gangrene,
Video examples
Survival Guide: Chigoe...
balloons into a pea sized ball of pain a swollen lesion develops that makes movement difficult but if the lesion gets infected then a painful nuisance becomes a serious medical problem severe cases can lead to tetanus gangrene and
Video examples
3 clues to understanding...
OK, how is all this complex circuitry set up in the brain? Is it nature, genes, or is it nurture? And we approach this problem by considering another curious syndrome called phantom limb. And you all know what a phantom limb is. When an arm is amputated, or a leg is amputated, for gangrene,
Video examples
Survival Guide: Chigoe...
balloons into a pea sized ball of pain a swollen lesion develops that makes movement difficult but if the lesion gets infected then a painful nuisance becomes a serious medical problem severe cases can lead to tetanus gangrene and
Example 1 of 2
Quote examples
Richard Preston
American Writer
If a portion of a redwood is rotting, the redwood will send roots into its own form and draw nutrients out of itself as it falls apart. If we had redwood-like biology, if we got a touch of gangrene in our arm, then we could just, you know, extract the nutrients and the moisture out of it until it fell off.

Quote examples
Pete Hamill
American Journalist
My father lost his leg in 1927 playing soccer. A kick broke his leg; gangrene set in. They sawed it off. So he didn't get what a lot of Irish immigrants got, which was a job on the Waterfront - he didn't get that.

Quote examples
John Kani
South African Actor
It is a troubled soul that forces the human being to act. It is some kind of gangrene within you, inside of you, that eats your soul, that forces you to save your soul.

Quote examples
Richard Preston
American Writer
If a portion of a redwood is rotting, the redwood will send roots into its own form and draw nutrients out of itself as it falls apart. If we had redwood-like biology, if we got a touch of gangrene in our arm, then we could just, you know, extract the nutrients and the moisture out of it until it fell off.

Quote examples
Pete Hamill
American Journalist
My father lost his leg in 1927 playing soccer. A kick broke his leg; gangrene set in. They sawed it off. So he didn't get what a lot of Irish immigrants got, which was a job on the Waterfront - he didn't get that.

Quote examples
John Kani
South African Actor
It is a troubled soul that forces the human being to act. It is some kind of gangrene within you, inside of you, that eats your soul, that forces you to save your soul.

Example 1 of 3
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