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fatigue

noun
fa·​tigue | \ fə-ˈtēg How to pronounce fatigue (audio) \

Definition of fatigue

 (Entry 1 of 3)

1a : labor
b : manual or menial work (such as the cleaning up of acamp area) performed by military personnel
c fatigues plural : the uniform or work clothing worn on fatigue and in the field
2a : weariness or exhaustion from labor, exertion, or stress We were overcome by fatigue after the long hike.
b : the temporary loss of power to respond that is induced in a sensory receptor (see receptor sense a) or motor (see motor entry 2 sense 1) end organ by continued stimulation
c : a state or attitude of indifference or apathy brought on by overexposure (as to a repeated series of similar events or appeals) … a super PAC supporting Hillary Clinton launched within days of Barack Obama's 2013 inauguration. Voter fatigue is just one drawback to the long campaigns, though.— Martin Wisckol Most of the Romney voters they visited were fairly chipper, but there is an air of election fatigue in a state where most television commercial breaks are dominated by attack ads and the phone rings off the hook with campaign calls.— Daniel Malloy and Katie Leslie Waning media coverage of a humanitarian crisis is usually a precursor to "donor fatigue," in which assistance from other nations fades. — Christian Science Monitor — see also compassion fatigue
3 : the tendency of a material to break under repeated stress metal fatigue

fatigue

verb
fatigued; fatiguing

Definition of fatigue (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

1 : to weary with labor or exertion
2 : to induce a condition of fatigue in

intransitive verb

: to suffer fatigue

fatigue

adjective

Definition of fatigue (Entry 3 of 3)

1 : consisting of, done, or used in fatigue fatigue detail
2 : belonging to fatigues a fatigue cap
Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym Why are uniforms called fatigues? More Example Sentences Learn More about fatigue

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Choose the Right Synonym for fatigue

Verb

tire, weary, fatigue, exhaust, jade mean to make or become unable or unwilling to continue. tire implies a draining of one's strength or patience. the long ride tired us out weary stresses tiring until one is unable to endure more of the same thing. wearied of the constant arguing fatigue suggests great lassitude from excessive strain or undue effort. fatigued by the day's chores exhaust implies complete draining of strength by hard exertion. shoveling snow exhausted him jade suggests the loss of all freshness and eagerness. appetites jaded by overindulgence

Why are uniforms called fatigues?

Fatigue is a basic part of today’s vocabulary, but, surprisingly, only dates back to the mid-17th century in English. It’s not used even a single time by Shakespeare or in the King James Bible. It came to English from French and ultimately derives from the Latin verb fatigare, meaning “to tire out” or “to exhaust.” An earlier direct borrowing into English from Latin, fatigate, was used in the 1500s before disappearing (it’s now labeled obsolete in our dictionaries). Fatigue entered English first as a noun, then the verb (“the work fatigues me”) and adjective (“a fatigue detail”) came along. The noun was used to mean both “the state of being tired” and “labor,” “effort,” or “trouble”—a sense that seems old-fashioned today. Early uses of fatigue meaning “effort” or “labor” often were in military contexts:

the fatigue of our long march

the fatigues of war

the fatigues of a long journey

they no longer have fatigue without pay

toil and fatigue

These senses led to two military-specific uses of fatigue. First, it came to mean “manual or menial work performed by military personnel,” and then, consequently, “the uniform or work clothing worn on fatigue detail and in the field.” This is how fatigues came to mean “uniform” in the military. When your job seems to be all work and no play, even your clothes are tired.

Examples of fatigue in a Sentence

Noun

 We were overcome by fatigue after the long journey. The drug's side effects include headache and fatigue. soldiers wearing combat boots and fatigues The cracks in the engine were caused by metal fatigue.

Verb

 the rescue workers pressed on, though their efforts to reach the miners had almost completely fatigued them
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Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

 Those affected have had symptoms including cough, shortness of breath, and fatigue. — CBS News, "Illinois patient's death from lung disease may be first vaping-related fatality in U.S.," 24 Aug. 2019 In an alert sent to medical professionals, the ADPH said patients are reporting symptoms such as cough, shortness of breath and fatigue. — Leada Gore | Lgore@al.com, al, "Alabama doctors asked to report vaping-related lung illnesses as number of cases grows," 23 Aug. 2019 Some cases reported mild to moderate gastrointestinal illness including vomiting and diarrhea and fatigue as well. — Josh Kovner, courant.com, "Vaping-related lung illnesses on the rise in Connecticut, nation as a death is reported in Illinois," 23 Aug. 2019 Patient respiratory symptoms in Ohio and elsewhere have included cough, shortness of breath and fatigue. — Laura Hancock, cleveland.com, "Ohio the latest state with reports of people becoming sick after vaping," 23 Aug. 2019 Officials said earlier this week that many patients, most of whom were adolescents or young adults, had described difficulty breathing, chest pain, vomiting and fatigue. — Matt Richtel, New York Times, "First Death in a Spate of Vaping Sicknesses Reported by Health Officials," 23 Aug. 2019 Granted, Marvel’s future looks robust, but at some point sprawl turns to chaos—or at least fatigue. — Peter Rubin, WIRED, "Spider-Man Swings Back to Sony—Unraveling the Universe," 22 Aug. 2019 Marte had been complaining about the tightness and fatigue near the left side of his lower back, according to Lovullo. — Richard Morin, azcentral, "Strange sophomore season for Diamondbacks' Yoshihisa Hirano halts with elbow injury," 17 Aug. 2019 Altitude chamber tests show that the body absorbs more oxygen into the blood this way, and passengers experience fewer headaches and less fatigue. — Chris Erskinecolumnist, Los Angeles Times, "Jet-lagged from that long summer flight? Tips on reducing the fog and fatigue," 16 Aug. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

 Torres’ approach was part of a concerted effort to fatigue Ryu. — Los Angeles Times, "Column: Dodgers’ humbling loss to Yankees reveals potential woes," 23 Aug. 2019 Never mind the Xs and Os if players are fatigued for the final 12 minutes. —

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