fatigue
/fəˈtiːɡ
/noun
1 [mass noun] Extreme tiredness resulting from mental or physical exertion or illness: he was nearly dead with fatigue...
- But a critical distinction needs to be drawn between physical and mental fatigue.
- Even so, the job saps the vitality, and a referee gets mental fatigue as well as physical.
- This can cause a person to experience physical fatigue, along with mental fogginess, difficulty in concentrating, and dullness of the mind.
Synonyms
tiredness, weariness, exhaustion, overtiredness;
drowsiness, somnolence;
lethargy, sluggishness, lassitude, debility, enervation, listlessness, prostration, lack of energy, lack of vitality
1.1A reduction in the efficiency of a muscle or organ after prolonged activity: buccinator and orbicularis oris muscles showing signs of fatigue...
- The frequency of frank respiratory muscle fatigue in acute asthma is unknown, but is probably low.
- Thus, in patients with severe airway obstruction, inspiratory muscle fatigue may limit exercise performance.
- A key problem in many patients with respiratory failure requiring intubation is fatigue of respiratory muscles.
1.2 [with modifier] A lessening in one’s response to or enthusiasm for something, caused by overexposure: votes were showing signs of election fatigue...
- He revealed a bit of fundraiser fatigue in response.
- Even now a certain amount of election fatigue is beginning to set in.
- The Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca is in a former monastery and a wander around the airy cloisters or in the excellent cacti garden offer a respite from any cases of museum fatigue.
2Weakness in metal or other materials caused by repeated variations of stress: metal fatigue...
- Metal fatigue is one concern, damage incurred during liftoff is another.
- The fatigue properties of metals are quite structure-sensitive.
- Investigators said the fatigue cracks on the planes that crashed were confined to the wing structures.
3 (fatigues) Menial non-military tasks performed by a soldier, sometimes as a punishment: we’re on cookhouse fatigues, sir...
- When they were not performing work fatigues or training, soldiers were instructed during the time spent in the rear areas.
Synonyms
menial work, drudgery, chores, donkey work
informal dirty work, skivvying
3.1 (also fatigue party) [count noun] A group of soldiers ordered to do menial tasks.
4 (fatigues) Loose clothing, typically khaki, olive drab, or camouflaged, of a sort worn by soldiers on active duty: battle fatigues...
- Soldiers in camouflage fatigues and painted faces also carried heavy artillery to provide protective fire power in the event of a genuine security threat.
- She looked Indian, and had on green camouflage fatigues.
- Seated next to me in the lounge was a group of soldiers dressed in battle fatigues.
Synonyms
khakis, camouflage clothing/gear
informal camo clothing/gear
verb (fatigues, fatiguing, fatigued) [with object]
1Cause (someone) to feel exhausted: they were fatigued by their journey...
- A headache like that can really fatigue a person.
- There are other categories, but it fatigues me to list them.
- He was working nonstop and he was very fatigued.
Synonyms
tire, tire out, exhaust, wear out, drain, make weary, weary, wash out, tax, overtax, overtire, jade, make sleepy;
prostrate, enervate
informal knock out, take it out of, do in, fag out, whack, poop, shatter, bush, frazzle, wear to a frazzle
British informal knacker
British vulgar slang shag out
1.1Reduce the efficiency of (a muscle or organ) by prolonged activity: different sensory fibres within the normal retina could be selectively fatigued...
- In mild cases it may be necessary to fatigue the symptomatic muscle.
- Whereas only 1 of the 12 patients fatigued their quadriceps after an ISW, two thirds of the same patients did so after incremental cycling.
- My only concern is that you find the ideal weight/rep combination that allows you to optimally fatigue the target muscle in the shortest time.
1.2Weaken (a metal or other material) by repeated variations of stress: the nails have become rusted through or fatigued...
- Repeated stretching and sizing fatigues the brass to the point where it will eventually split, but I restrict things a little more.
- For carbon forks in general, there should not be any limited life span, as carbon composites themselves are not subject to fatigue failures as metals are.
- Given the thin faces of today's drivers, how long does a driver last before the metal becomes fatigued?
Derivatives
fatiguability
- He adds that prolonged noise increases fatiguability - the tendency to get tired easily.
- His sleep is variable, but he has loss of energy and fatiguability.
- Physical activity, leg muscle fatigability, calf muscle flexibility, and leg volume also were measured at the start of the study.
fatiguable
- As any jackhammer repairwoman can attest, the ears are as fatigable as any other major part of the face or head (and considerably more so than noses or hair).
- In this instance it has a characteristic ‘fatiguable’ quality, in which the more the muscle is used the weaker it becomes.
- In conclusion, the quadriceps in patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are more fatigable than those in age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects.
Origin
Mid 17th century (in the sense 'task that causes weariness'): from French fatigue (noun), fatiguer (verb), from Latin fatigare 'tire out', from ad fatim, affatim 'to satiety or surfeit'.
The early use of the word was to mean ‘a task or duty causing weariness’; this is seen in the military use of the plural fatigues, duties sometimes allocated as a punishment. It comes via French from Latin fatigare ‘tire out’. The opposite is found in indefatigable (early 17th century).