hypothermia

Everyday

A dangerous illness when your body gets much too cold, so it cannot keep its normal warm temperature. tree →

In the lessons

In safety lessons about cold weather, swimming and the outdoors: wet clothes, wind, snow and cold water can cause hypothermia. Signs: strong shivering, slurred speech, sleepiness, clumsy hands. Help: get out of the cold, take off wet clothes, wrap in blankets, call for help. Phrases: «suffer from hypothermia», «risk of hypothermia».

Examples

• The lost hiker had hypothermia. tree →
• Cold water can give you hypothermia very fast. tree →
• Wear layers and a hat to avoid hypothermia. tree →
• Strong shivering can be a sign of hypothermia. tree →
• Get someone with hypothermia out of wet clothes and into a warm blanket. tree →
• Swimmers in cold seas wear wetsuits to stop hypothermia. tree →

Note

Uncountable. «Hypo-» means under, «therm» means heat. Opposite: heatstroke (too hot). Hypothermia is an emergency; call for help. Myth: alcohol does not warm you up.