fatigue

[fuh-teeg]

noun

weariness from bodily or mental exertion.

a cause of weariness; slow ordeal; exertion: the fatigue of driving for many hours.

Physiology. temporary diminution of the irritability or functioning of organs, tissues, or cells after excessive exertion or stimulation.

Civil Engineering. the weakening or breakdown of material subjected to stress, especially a repeated series of stresses.

Also called fatigue duty. Military.

labor of a generally nonmilitary kind done by soldiers, such as cleaning up an area, digging drainage ditches, or raking leaves.
the state of being engaged in such labor: on fatigue.

fatigues, Military. fatigue clothes.

adjective

of or relating to fatigues or any clothing made to resemble them: The guerrilla band wore fatigue pants and field jackets. She brought fatigue shorts to wear on the hike.

verb (used with object), fa·tigued, fa·ti·guing.

to weary with bodily or mental exertion; exhaust the strength of: Endless chatter fatigues me.

Civil Engineering. to subject (a material) to fatigue.

verb (used without object), fa·tigued, fa·ti·guing.

to become fatigued.

Civil Engineering. (of a material) to undergo fatigue.

Nearby words

Origin of fatigue

1685–95; < French fatigue (noun), fatiguer (v.) < Latin fatīgāre to tire

SYNONYMS FOR fatigue

8. tire, debilitate, enervate.

Related formsfa·tigue·less, adjectivefa·ti·guing·ly, adverban·ti·fa·tigue, adjectiveun·fa·ti·guing, adjective

fatigue clothes

plural noun

a soldier's uniform for fatigue duty.

Origin of fatigue clothes

First recorded in 1830–40

Also called fatigues.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for fatigues

Suddenly, a figure jumps out of a bush dressed head-to-toe in Army fatigues wielding a giant baseball bat.
Rob Lowe's Memoir Revealed|Marlow Stern|April 25, 2011|DAILY BEAST
He was strongly urged to remain a while and rest from his fatigues.
Alone|Norman Douglas
Fitzarnulph, wearied with the fatigues of the day, retired to rest, but for many hours sleep did not visit his pillow.
Runnymede and Lincoln Fair|J.G. Edgar
In chat and story they forget the fatigues and dangers of a soldier's life.
Old Farm Fairies:|Henry Christopher McCook

Most people preferred to remain at home rather than encounter the fatigues, risks, and expense of travelling.
The Iron Horse|R.M. Ballantyne
We were kept up nearly all night, which, after the fatigues of the day, was hard upon us.
The Expedition to Borneo of H.M.S. Dido|Henry Keppel

British Dictionary definitions for fatigues

fatigue

noun

physical or mental exhaustion due to exertion

a tiring activity or effort

physiol the temporary inability of an organ or part to respond to a stimulus because of overactivity

the progressive cracking of a material subjected to alternating stresses, esp vibrations

the temporary inability to respond to a situation or perform a function, because of overexposure or overactivitycompassion fatigue

any of the mainly domestic duties performed by military personnel, esp as a punishment
(as modifier)fatigue duties

(plural) special clothing worn by military personnel to carry out such duties

verb -tigues, -tiguing or -tigued

to make or become weary or exhausted

to crack or break (a material or part) by inducing fluctuating stresses in it, or (of a metal or part) to become weakened or fail as a result of fluctuating stresses

Derived Formsfatigable (ˈfætɪɡəbəl), adjectivefatigueless, adjective

Word Origin for fatigue

C17: from French, from fatiguer to tire, from Latin fatīgāre

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for fatigues

fatigues

"extra duties of a soldier," 1776, from fatigue. As a military clothing outfit, from 1836, short for fatigue dress (1833).

fatigue

1660s, "that which causes weariness," from French fatigue "weariness," from fatiguer "to tire," from Latin fatigare, originally "to cause to break down," later, "to weary, fatigue, tire out," from pre-Latin adj. *fati-agos "driving to the point of breakdown," from Old Latin *fatis (of unknown origin, related to adv. affatim "sufficiently" and to fatisci "crack, split") + root of agere "to drive" (see act (n.)). Meaning "weariness from exertion" is from 1719.

fatigue

1690s, from French fatiguer (15c.), from fatigue (see fatigue (n.). Earlier in same sense was fatigate (1530s). Related: Fatigued; fatiguing.

Medicine definitions for fatigues

fatigue

[fə-tēg′]

n.

Physical or mental weariness resulting from exertion.

A sensation of boredom and lassitude due to absence of stimulation, to monotony, or to lack of interest in one's surroundings.

The decreased capacity or complete inability of an organism, organ, or part to function normally because of excessive stimulation or prolonged exertion.

fatigue

noun

adjective

verb (used with object), fa·tigued, fa·ti·guing.

verb (used without object), fa·tigued, fa·ti·guing.

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of fatigue

fatigue clothes

plural noun

Origin of fatigue clothes

Examples from the Web for fatigues

fatigue

noun

verb -tigues, -tiguing or -tigued

Word Origin for fatigue

fatigues

fatigue

fatigue

fatigue

n.