BREAK OUT
Start suddenly
“Her skin broke out in a rash after eating strawberries.”
CLEAR UP
Disappear; go away (illness, infection)
“The doctor prescribed an ointment to clear up the rash.”
COME TO / ROUND
Regain consciousness
“When Emily came to / came round, she was in hospital.”
COME / GO DOWN (with)
Contract or catch an illness (cold, flu, etc.)
“You’re sneezing. Are you coming down with a cold?”
FIGHT OFF
Struggle to resist an illness
“I’ve been fighting off a cold all week.”
FLARE UP
Suddenly start again or become worse
“My arthritis has flared up again. It’s very painful.”
GET OVER
Start feeling well again after an illness
“My son caught a stomach virus but he got over it.”
HOLD / KEEP DOWN
Retain (food); not vomit
“The worst is over. He’s starting to hold down his food.”
PASS AWAY / PASS ON
Die (a less harsh way of talking about death)
“The Queen passed away / on peacefully at her home.”
PASS ON (something)
Transmit an illness or virus
“I hope Jack doesn’t pass on his cold to the whole team!”
PASS OUT
Faint; lose consciousness for a short time
“The intern passed out when he saw all the blood!”
PICK UP
Get or contract an illness from someone or something
“Laura picked up a virus during a business trip.”
PULL THROUGH
Recover from an illness or injuries
“Paul is badly injured but he’ll pull through.”
SHAKE OFF
Get rid of an infection or illness
“I’ve had a headache all day that I just can’t shake off.”
SWELL UP
Increase in volume or size
“His wrist started to swell up; it was probably broken.”
THROW UP
Vomit; retch; be sick
“I don’t feel well; I think I’m going to throw up!”
COME AROUND / COME ROUND
Feel better; recover from illness or bad mood
"She was really ill yesterday, but she's coming around now."
BRING UP
Vomit; regurgitate food
"The baby brought up his milk after feeding."
WEAR OFF
Gradually disappear or stop (effects of medicine/anesthesia)
"The painkiller is starting to wear off; I need another dose."
PASS (something) TO
Infect someone else with an illness
"Make sure you wash your hands so you don't pass the flu to others."
BUILD UP
Increase gradually (strength, immunity, resistance)
"You need to build up your strength after surgery."
COME OUT IN
Develop spots, rash, etc. on skin
"The child came out in spots—it might be chickenpox."
WARD OFF
Prevent or keep away (illness)
"Vitamin C helps ward off colds."
LAY UP
Force to stay in bed due to illness/injury (usually passive)
"He was laid up with a broken leg for six weeks."
TAKE TO
Be confined to (bed, wheelchair)
"My grandmother has taken to her bed with the flu."
LOOK AFTER
Take care of (oneself or others)
"You need to look after yourself and get some rest."
DIALOGUE PROMPTS
1. Have you or someone you know ever had a serious health scare? What happened?
2. What do you do to stay healthy and prevent illness?
3. How do healthcare systems in different countries compare in your experience?
DIALOGUE: At a Coffee Shop
Sarah: Hey Tom! I haven't seen you in ages. How have you been?
Tom: Hi Sarah! Well, to be honest, I've been better. I actually came down with a nasty virus about three weeks ago, and I'm only just starting to get over it now.
Sarah: Oh no, that sounds awful! What symptoms did you have?
Tom: It started with a high fever, and then my whole body began swelling up—especially my joints. I couldn't even hold a cup properly! At one point, I actually passed out in my kitchen.
Sarah: You passed out? That must have been terrifying! Did someone find you?
Tom: Thankfully, yes. My flatmate heard the crash when I fell. When I came round, I was lying on the floor with him calling an ambulance. I don't remember much about it, honestly.
Sarah: I can't even imagine how scary that must have been for both of you. Were you hospitalized?
Tom: Just overnight for observation. The doctors were worried I might not pull through at first because my fever was dangerously high, but the antibiotics kicked in quickly. The worst part was that I couldn't keep anything down for days—every time I tried to eat, I'd throw up within minutes.
Sarah: That's dreadful. You must have felt so weak. How are you managing now?
Tom: Much better, thanks. Though I have to admit, this whole experience has really made me rethink how I look after myself. I used to think I could just fight off any illness without much trouble, but this one really knocked me down.
Sarah: I completely understand. Sometimes it takes a health scare to make us take things seriously. Are you doing anything differently now?
Tom: Absolutely. I've been trying to build up my immunity—eating better, taking vitamins, that sort of thing. My doctor said I need to ward off future infections by strengthening my immune system. She also mentioned that stress might have made me more vulnerable to picking up the virus in the first place.
Sarah: That makes sense. Stress can really compromise your health, can't it? Actually, speaking of stress, do you remember my colleague Jenny? She broke out in hives last month from work pressure.
Tom: Really? How did that happen?
Sarah: She'd been working 12-hour days for weeks, barely sleeping. One morning, she woke up and her face and arms had come out in these red, itchy welts. She was mortified because she had an important presentation that day.
Tom: Poor thing! Did the rash clear up quickly?
Sarah: It took about a week with antihistamines and steroid cream. But here's the thing—her doctor warned her that if she didn't reduce her stress levels, the condition would keep flaring up. Stress-related conditions can be so stubborn to shake off, apparently.
Tom: I believe it. My aunt has eczema that flares up whenever she's anxious. She's been trying to manage it for years.
Sarah: It's such a vicious cycle, isn't it? You're stressed, which makes you ill, which makes you more stressed. By the way, how's your family doing? Is everyone healthy?
Tom: Well, actually, my father came down with COVID again last week. Third time now! We're all worried because at his age, these things are more serious.
Sarah: Oh dear, I'm so sorry to hear that. Is he doing alright?
Tom: He's stable, thank goodness. The doctor says he should get over it within a week or so. But we're being extra careful because we don't want him to pass it on to my mum—she's immunocompromised after her cancer treatment last year.
Sarah: Of course. That must be incredibly stressful for all of you. How's your mum's recovery going, if you don't mind me asking?
Tom: No, not at all. She's been doing remarkably well, actually. The chemotherapy was brutal—she was laid up for months and lost all her hair. But she's a fighter. The doctors weren't sure if she'd pull through at first, but she proved them wrong.
Sarah: She sounds like an incredibly strong woman. I'm so glad she's recovering.
Tom: Thank you. It's been a difficult year for our family. Actually, we lost my uncle in February. He passed away quite suddenly from a heart attack.
Sarah: I'm so sorry for your loss, Tom. That must have been devastating.
Tom: It was. He was only 58. It really makes you think about your own health, you know? I've started exercising regularly and eating better because I don't want to end up in the same situation. Prevention is so much better than cure.
Sarah: Absolutely. I couldn't agree more. I've been trying to do the same thing. Ever since I picked up that terrible stomach bug on holiday in Thailand two years ago, I've been much more careful about what I eat and drink when traveling.
Tom: Oh, I remember you telling me about that! You were really ill, weren't you?
Sarah: I was in bed for a week, unable to hold down even water. The hotel doctor had to give me IV fluids because I was so dehydrated. It took me nearly a month to fully get over it and feel like myself again.
Tom: Travel illnesses can be so unpredictable. Did they ever figure out what caused it?
Sarah: They think it was contaminated water. The thing is, I was being careful, or so I thought! But these things can happen anywhere. You just have to hope your body can fight off whatever you're exposed to.
Tom: True. Though I must say, having been through my recent health crisis, I have a newfound appreciation for modern medicine. The medication they gave me really helped clear up the infection quickly.
Sarah: Modern medicine is incredible, isn't it? Though I do think the effects of painkillers wear off too quickly sometimes. When I had my wisdom teeth removed, I was constantly watching the clock for my next dose.
Tom: I know what you mean. The anesthesia wore off so fast after my procedure that I was in agony within an hour.
Sarah: Anyway, Tom, I'm just really glad you're feeling better now. You gave us all quite a scare!
Tom: Thanks, Sarah. I appreciate your concern. I'm definitely taking better care of myself these days. How about we grab lunch sometime next week? I'd love to catch up properly when I'm feeling completely back to normal.
Sarah: That sounds perfect! Just promise me you won't pass on any viruses!
Tom: Ha! I promise. I wouldn't wish this experience on anyone.
