dose
gb/dˈoʊs/ us/dˈoʊs/
A2
English
~ 2700
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
quantity
1
Measured amount of medicine
The amount of medicine or drug you take at one time.
Usage pattern:
a dose of [medicine/drug]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'dose' with 'dosage'. 'Dose' is the amount taken at one time; 'dosage' is the overall regimen or schedule.
Synonyms
portion (A general term for part of something; less specific to medicine.)
|
amount (General term for quantity; not limited to medical use.)
Antonyms
overdose (Taking too much of a medicine or drug.)
Collocations
high dose
|low dose
|single dose
|daily dose
|overdose
Themes
health
|medicine
|science
Examples
- The doctor prescribed a low dose of antibiotics.
- You should not exceed the recommended daily dose.
- He forgot to take his morning dose of insulin.
- This vaccine requires only a single dose.
- A high dose of caffeine can cause restlessness.
Learner examples
- I take one dose in the morning.
- She needs a small dose of the drug.
- He missed his evening dose.
- The nurse gave me my dose.
- Do not take more than one dose.
Noun
B1
quantity
2
Amount of something unpleasant
A bad or unpleasant thing that happens to you in some amount.
Usage pattern:
a dose of [something unpleasant]
Common mistake:
Learners may try to use 'dose' only for medicine; it can also be used figuratively for experiences.
Synonyms
share (Implies a portion of something, often neutral or positive; less intense.)
|
bout (A short period of intense activity or suffering; more focused on events than quantities.)
Antonyms
relief (The removal or lessening of something unpleasant.)
Collocations
a dose of reality
|a heavy dose
|a bad dose
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He got a nasty dose of criticism after the meeting.
- She received a heavy dose of bad news this week.
- That comment was a real dose of reality for him.
- After all his bragging, he finally got a dose of humility.
Learner examples
- He got a bad dose of anger from his boss.
- I had a big dose of bad luck today.
- She got a dose of sadness after hearing the news.
- They had a heavy dose of problems last year.
Verb
B2
action
3
Give measured amount of medicine
To give someone a set amount of medicine or drug.
Usage pattern:
to dose [someone/something] with [medicine/drug]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'dose' (verb) with 'take' when speaking about themselves receiving medicine. 'Dose' is usually done by someone else to another person or animal.
Synonyms
administer (More formal and technical term, often used in medical contexts.)
Antonyms
withhold (To deliberately not give medicine or treatment.)
Collocations
dose with antibiotics
|dose regularly
|dose carefully
Themes
health
|medicine
Examples
- The nurse dosed the patient with painkillers.
- Farmers sometimes dose cattle with vitamins.
- He dosed himself with cough syrup before bed.
Learner examples
- The doctor dosed the child with the drug.
- She dosed the dog with medicine.
- They dosed me with strong pills.
- He dosed her with antibiotics.
Grammar
Dictionary form
dose
IPA
GB/dˈoʊs/
US/dˈoʊs/
Syllables & stress
dose (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (dose)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: dose
- Plural: doses
Verb
- Base: dose
- 3rd Person Singular: doses
- Present Participle: dosing
- Past: dosed
Word family
Expressions
a dose of reality
1/ə dˈoʊs əv ɹiˈæləti/
idiom
Unpleasant truth experience
An experience that shows you the real facts, even if they are not nice.
Examples
- Losing his job gave him a real dose of reality about the economy.
- The tough competition was a dose of reality for the young athlete.
double dose
1/dˈʌbəl dˈoʊs/
fixed phrase
Twice the usual amount
An amount that is twice as much as usual, especially for medicine or drugs.
Examples
- The patient accidentally took a double dose of the medication.
- This movie offers a double dose of action and humor.
overdose on
1/ˈoʊvɚdˌoʊs ˈɔn/
phrasal verb
Take too much of something dangerous
To take too much of a drug, medicine, or other substance so that it is dangerous or harmful.
Examples
- He overdosed on sleeping pills and had to be rushed to the hospital.
- She overdosed on chocolate during the holidays.