'Severe Acute' Respiratory Syndrome....isn't that redundant?

[JC]

Don't 'severe' and 'acute' in this context mean essentially the same thing? Dept. of Redundancy Dept.?


JC

 

[Gatsby]

Severe refers to how strong the disease actually is. (Strong)
Acute refers to the exposure length needed for the disease to occur. (One hit and you get the disease)

 

[Ameesh]

no its not, look up the words in a dictionary

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: Ameesh
no its not, look up the words in a dictionary

 

[AgentEL]

a·cute ( P ) Pronunciation Key (-kyt)
adj.
Having a sharp point or tip.
Keenly perceptive or discerning: ?a raw, chilling and psychologically acute novel of human passions reduced to their deadliest essence? (Literary Guild Magazine). See Synonyms at sharp.
Reacting readily to stimuli or impressions; sensitive: His hearing was unusually acute.
Of great importance or consequence; crucial: an acute lack of research funds.
Extremely sharp or severe; intense: acute pain; acute relief.
Medicine.
Having a rapid onset and following a short but severe course: acute disease.
Afflicted by a disease exhibiting a rapid onset followed by a short, severe course: acute patients.
Music. High in pitch; shrill.
Geometry. Having an acute angle: an acute triangle.

Since they use "severe" in the definition of "acute" then it sounds like it would be redundant.

 

[Eli]

I've thought the same thing. It just sounds clumsy, or redundant. But I tend to agree with others, that it is indeed acceptable.

 

[JC]

Entry: severe
Function: adjective
Definition: difficult
Synonyms: acute, arduous, ascetic, austere, bitter, bleak, consequential, critical, dangerous, dear, demanding, despotic, distressing, domineering, drastic, effortful, exacting, extreme, fierce, fierce, forbidding, grave, grim, grinding, hairy, hard, harsh, implacable, heavy, hefty, inclement, intemperate, intense, mordant, oppressive, overbearing, pitiless, punishing, rigorous, rugged, se rious, sharp, sore, strenuous, stringent, taxing, toilsome, tough, tyrannical, unpleasant, unrelenting, violent, weighty, wicked
Concept: intensity

Entry: acute
Function: adjective
Definition: intense
Synonyms: cutting, distressing, excruciating, exquisite, fierce, keen, overpowering, overwhelming, piercing, poignant, powerful, racking, severe, sharp, shooting, stabbing, sudden, violent Antonyms: mild, moderate
Concept: intensity

Ameesh, Oldsmoboat: You were saying? Oh that's right, you had nothing helpful to say.

 

[BaliBabyDoc]

Having a rapid onset and following a short but severe course: acute disease.
Afflicted by a disease exhibiting a rapid onset followed by a short, severe course: acute patients.

Bingo . . . except many diseases are ACUTE but NOT severe . . . common cold.

Cold: you sneeze, you cough, fever, chills . . . 5 days later you no longer have an excuse for missing work.

SARS: you sneeze, you cough, fever, chills . . . 5 days later you're on the ventilator.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: BaliBabyDoc

Having a rapid onset and following a short but severe course: acute disease.
Afflicted by a disease exhibiting a rapid onset followed by a short, severe course: acute patients.

Bingo . . . except many diseases are ACUTE but NOT severe . . . common cold.

Cold: you sneeze, you cough, fever, chills . . . 5 days later you no longer have an excuse for missing work.

SARS: you sneeze, you cough, fever, chills . . . 5 days later you're on the ventilator.

I've never had a fever when I've had the common cold.

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: JC

Entry: severe
Function: adjective
Definition: difficult
Synonyms: acute, arduous, ascetic, austere, bitter, bleak, consequential, critical, dangerous, dear, demanding, despotic, distressing, domineering, drastic, effortful, exacting, extreme, fierce, fierce, forbidding, grave, grim, grinding, hairy, hard, harsh, implacable, heavy, hefty, inclement, intemperate, intense, mordant, oppressive, overbearing, pitiless, punishing, rigorous, rugged, se rious, sharp, sore, strenuous, stringent, taxing, toilsome, tough, tyrannical, unpleasant, unrelenting, violent, weighty, wicked
Concept: intensity

Entry: acute
Function: adjective
Definition: intense
Synonyms: cutting, distressing, excruciating, exquisite, fierce, keen, overpowering, overwhelming, piercing, poignant, powerful, racking, severe, sharp, shooting, stabbing, sudden, violent Antonyms: mild, moderate
Concept: intensity

Ameesh, Oldsmoboat: You were saying? Oh that's right, you had nothing helpful to say.

OK, I'll spell it out.
G e t * a * d i c t i o n a r y * a n d * l e a r n * t o * u s e * i t.
😉

 

[BaliBabyDoc]

I've never had a fever when I've had the common cold.

Goodie . . .

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: BaliBabyDoc

I've never had a fever when I've had the common cold.

Goodie . . .

😕

I thought having a fever made it flu-like symptoms.

 

[BaliBabyDoc]

Many people with colds will run low grade fevers <38.1 . . . muscle aches and a high grade fever usually tip the balance towards flu (viral).

 

[JC]

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat
OK, I'll spell it out.
G e t * a * d i c t i o n a r y * a n d * l e a r n * t o * u s e * i t.
😉

There now. Isn't it better to be helpful and not just quoteful? 😀

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: JC

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat
OK, I'll spell it out.
G e t * a * d i c t i o n a r y * a n d * l e a r n * t o * u s e * i t.
😉

There now. Isn't it better to be helpful and not just quoteful? 😀

You're right John. I feel better.
🙂