fever

American  

[fee-ver] / ˈfi vər /

noun

1. an abnormal condition of the body, characterized by undue rise in temperature, quickening of the pulse, and disturbance of various body functions.

2. an abnormally high body temperature.

3. the number of degrees of such a temperature above the normal.

4. any of a group of diseases in which high temperature is a prominent symptom.

   scarlet fever.

5. intense nervous excitement.

   The audience was in a fever of anticipation.

---

verb (used with object)

1. to affect with or as with fever.

   The excitement fevered him.

fever British  

/ ˈfiːvə /

noun

1. an abnormally high body temperature, accompanied by a fast pulse rate, dry skin, etc

2. any of various diseases, such as yellow fever or scarlet fever, characterized by a high temperature

3. intense nervous excitement or agitation

   she was in a fever about her party

---

verb

1. (tr) to affect with or as if with fever

fever Scientific  

/ fē′vər /

1. A body temperature that is higher than normal. Fever is the body's natural response to the release of substances called pyrogens by infectious agents such as bacteria and viruses. The pyrogens stimulate the hypothalamus in the brain to conserve heat and increase the basal metabolic rate.

---

fever Idioms  

1. see cabin fever; run a fever.

---

Other Word Forms

• fevered adjective
• feverless adjective
• unfevered adjective

Etymology

Origin of fever

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English fefer, from Latin febr-, stem of febris; reinforced by Anglo-French fevre, Old French fievre, from Latin, as above

Example Sentences

Symptoms can include chest pain, shortness of breath, fever and heart palpitations.

From Science Daily

The stock has since fallen 99.5% from that level as the meme fever has faded.

From Barron's

We watch those things very carefully to bring some of those elements out in this kind of fever dream that is this film.

From Los Angeles Times

Symptoms in humans mimic a severe flu: high fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches and, at times, conjunctivitis.

From BBC

The vaccine, by contrast, is far less likely than those for flu or chickenpox to cause even minor reactions, such as fever.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• delirium
• frenzy
• turmoil