heartsink
/ (ˈhɑːtˌsɪŋk) /
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noun
- a patient who repeatedly visits his or her doctor's surgery, often with multiple or non-specific symptoms, and whose complaints are impossible to treat
- (as modifier)heartsink patients
QUIZ
ARE YOU A TRUE BLUE CHAMPION OF THESE "BLUE" SYNONYMS?
We could talk until we're blue in the face about this quiz on words for the color "blue," but we think you should take the quiz and find out if you're a whiz at these colorful terms.
Question 1 of 8
Which of the following words describes “sky blue”?
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Word Origin for heartsink
C20: so-called because the patient's appearance in the surgery makes the doctor's heart sink
Words nearby heartsink
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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