HOSPITAL
ADJECTIVES
► UNGRATEFUL said of a hospital patient who dies after heroic efforts to save his life → 1989 US sl.
NOUNS
► AGONY CART a low cart used to bring instruments, bandages, medicines, etc., to a patient’s bedside → 1918 hospital usage
► AGONY WAGON a low cart used to bring instruments, bandages, medicines, etc., to a patient’s bedside → 1980 hospital usage
► ALLEY a hospital corridor → 1960s African-American sl.
► BANDAGE FACTORY a hospital → 1941 Amer. sl.
► BUGHOUSE a hospital → 1966 Amer. dial.
► BUTCHER SHOP an operating room; also, a hospital; often used disparagingly → 1918 Amer. sl., esp. military usage
► CAT’S-MEAT GAFF a hospital, esp. one specializing in gynaecology → 1960s sl.
► DEADLOCK a ‘lock’ hospital, a hospital for venereal disease → L19 sl.
► DING WARD a hospital ward for the mentally infirm → 1981 US sl.
► DOCK a hospital → World War I Amer. sl.
► DOWN THE LINE a psychiatric hospital → 1963 NZ sl.
► DWINDLES, THE the condition of an older hospital patient who is fading away → 1981 US sl.
► GUN AND RIFLE CLUB an inner-city hospital’s casualty department → 1978 US sl.
► HOSSIE a hospital → 1971 Aust. sl.
► INTERNATIONAL HOUSE OF PANCAKES a hospital ward for severe stroke victims, who lie in bed muttering in their own language → 1978 US sl.
► JOHNNY a short, collarless gown that is fastened in back ad is worn by hospital patients, persons being examined in a doctor’s office, etc.; a hospital gown → 1922 Amer. dial.
► JOHNNY COAT a hospital gown → 1973 Amer. dial.
► LAZARET a house for the reception of the diseased poor, esp. lepers; a hospital → 1611
► LAZARETTO a house for the reception of the diseased poor, esp. lepers; a hospital → 1549
► LEECH-HOUSE a hospital → 1483 obs.
► MAISON-DIEU a hospital, a name given to a hospital → 1895 Sc. & N. Eng. dial.
► MALADERIE a hospital, esp. for lepers → 1461 obs. exc. Hist.
► METABOLIC CLINIC a hospital tea-room → 1999 UK sl.
► MONKEY POLE a horizontal bar suspended above a bed, which a patient grasps to aid mobility → 1964 medical sl.
► NAD ALERT a warning in a hospital that an x-ray is about to be taken → 1994 US sl.
► NOSOCOME a hospital → 1653 obs.
► OLD-MAN-HOUSE a hospital for old men → 1634 obs.
► OLD-WOMAN-HOUSE a hospital for old women → 1634
► O-SIGN the open mouth of a very sick hospital patient → 1980 medical usage
► OZZY a hospital → 2000 sl.
► PAD OF STITCHES a hospital → 1940s African-American sl.
► POLYCLINIC a hospital outpatient department; later, a centre, usually independent of a hospital, providing secondary health care → 1884
► RAT HOUSE a mental hospital → 1900 Aust. & NZ sl.
► RIP TRACK on the railways: a hospital → 1977 US sl.
► SANITY-INSTITUTION a hospital → 1799 obs.
► SICK BUNK a hospital bed → 1940 army colloq.
► SICK-HOUSE a house set apart for sick persons; a hospital → 1491
► SPIKE a maternity hospital → 1960s Irish sl.
► VALETUDINARY an infirmary or hospital → 1623 obs.
► ZEBRA an unlikely or obscure diagnosis → 1980 US hospital usage
NOUNS – PERSON
► ALBATROSS a patient who never seems to get better, or who is regularly ill with a new ailment, and who sticks with one physician for seemingly endless treatment → 1994 sl. (Bk.)
► ANDROID a patient with no normal laboratory values → 1994 US sl.
► APPIE an appendectomy patient → 1985 US sl.
► BAD SUBJECT a patient who does not have good prospects of improvement or recovery → 1840
► BANANA a hospital patient with jaundice → 1994 sl. (Bk.)
► BEACHED WHALE an extremely obese patient unable to do much but lie there with flailing arms and legs → 1997 medical sl. (Bk.)
► BED-BLOCKER a hospital patient, esp. an elderly one, whose treatment is complete but whose discharge is delayed because the necessary level of care is unavailable to him or her elsewhere → 1975 orig. Brit., somewhat depreciative
► BLACK DOCTORS the native dressers in a hospital → 1886 Anglo-Indian (Bk.)
► CACTUS in hospital usage: a severely burnt patient → 1994 US sl.
► DADDY the superintendent of a casualty ward → c1860 colloq.
► GOMER a repulsive, non-compliant hospital patient → 1993 US sl.
► GOOMER a person unwelcome in a hospital (Get Out Of My Emergency Room) → 2006 US sl. (Bk.)
► HEAD a brain-injury patient → 2006 Amer. medical sl. (Bk.)
► HITS new patients → 2006 Amer. medical sl. (Bk.)
► MEGA DIRTBALL a hospital patient with an appalling lack of hygiene → 1989 US sl.
► OAP an Over-Anxious Patient → 2002 UK doctors’ usage
► PILLS a hospital steward → 1913 Amer. navy sl. (Bk.)
► QUACK a hospital patient who feigns symptoms in order to receive attention, prescription medication or both → 1978 US sl.
► REEKER a bad-smelling hospital casualty department patient → 1978 US sl.
► SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIAL a hospital patient who regularly appears in the casualty department at weekends in search of food and a bed → 1978 US sl.
► SIEVE a hospital or admitting physician that freely admits patients → 1994 US sl.
► SUFFERER a patient → 1809
► SUNDOWNER a patient who suffers delusions and disorientation at night but not by daylight → 1980s US medical sl.
► TANTON MAN a patient of a hospital or the like, dedicated to Saint Anthony → 1515 obs.
► TRAIN WRECK a horribly wounded soldier or casualty department patient → 1978 US sl., orig. Vietnam medical corpsmen usage
► VAMPIRE a nurse able to draw blood successfully from ‘touch sticks’, those whose veins are elusive → 1997 medical sl. (Bk.)
► VEDGY ► VEGGIE ► VEGGY a patient requiring intensive care, incapable of movement; a comatose patient in a hospital → 1995 Amer. medical sl. (Bk.)
► VEGETABLE GARDEN a group of neurologically depressed hospital patients → 1978 US sl.
► VELCRO family or friends who accompany patients everywhere → 2006 Amer. medical sl. (Bk.)
► WALKIE-TALKIE a patient who is able to get out of bed, walk around by himself, and speak coherently → 1997 medical sl. (Bk.)
► WALL an intern or resident adept at not admitting patients to his or service → 2006 Amer. medical sl. (Bk.)
► WARDMAID a maidservant who performs the menial offices of a hospital ward → 1888
► WARD-MASTER the master or superintendent of a hospital ward → 1883
► WARD SISTER a British registered nurse who is in charge of a ward of a hospital → 2014 (Bk.)
► WARDSMAID a maidservant who performs the menial offices of a hospital ward → 1901
► ZORRO BELLY a patient with many scars on his or her stomach indicating earlier surgery → 2006 Amer. medical sl. (Bk.)
PHRASES
► BEND OVER, BROWN EYES an instruction to a patient about to undergo a rectal examination → 1989 US sl.
► IN DOCK in hospital, receiving treatment → 1785 sl.
► IN DRY DOCK inactive, unemployed; in quarantine; in hospital → 1927 colloq.
► OUT OF DOCK out of hospital after receiving treatment → 1785 sl.
VERBS
► BOB FOR APPLES to digitally examine or disimpact the rectum of a patient → 1972 US medical usage
► BUFF to make notations in a patient’s chart that makes the patient look better than they are and ready for the next stage of their care → 1994 US hospital usage
► BURY THE HATCHET to leave surgical instruments in the patient → 2006 US medical sl. (Bk.)
► EAT PLASTIC of a hospital patient: to be intubated → 1994 US sl.
► SPECIAL of a nurse: to attend continuously to a single patient → 1961 sl.
► TURF to transfer a patient to another ward or service in order to evade responsibility, decisions, irritations, etc. → 1970s medical sl.
► WATER THE VEGETABLES to administer intravenous fluids to a hospital’s neurologically depressed patients → 1978 US sl.
Lexicophilia 