sneeze

Everyday

1. To sneeze means to suddenly blow air out through your nose and mouth with a loud noise, because something tickles inside your nose. tree →
2. A sneeze is the act or sound of sneezing. tree →

In the lessons

In health and hygiene, sneezes spread germs a long way, so sneeze into a tissue or your elbow, throw the tissue away and wash your hands («Catch it, bin it, kill it»). Colds, dust, pepper and pollen (hay fever) make people sneeze. In manners, people say «Bless you!» when someone sneezes. In science, sneezing is a reflex: your body does it without you deciding.

Examples

• Pepper makes me sneeze. tree →
• Sneeze into your elbow, not your hand. tree →
• «Atishoo!» «Bless you!» tree →
• Pollen makes her sneeze in spring. tree →
• A sneeze can spread germs across a room. tree →
• He sneezed three times in a row. tree →
• Catch it, bin it, kill it: use a tissue when you sneeze. tree →
• It was just as if somebody was sneezing. tree →

Note

Regular verb: sneezed, sneezing. The sound is written «atishoo» (UK) or «achoo» (US). Myth: your heart stops when you sneeze — it does not. You cannot sneeze with your eyes open easily, but it is a reflex, not a danger.

In Jewish tradition

In 2 Kings the child sneezes seven times as he comes back to life.

Interpretation. Tradition sees it as the sign that Elisha's prayer brought the boy back from death. This is one of the Bible's stories of the dead being revived.

Examples

• Then he returned, and walked in the house once to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him; and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. (Prophets 2KI.4.35, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Regular verb: sneezed, sneezing. The sound is written «atishoo» (UK) or «achoo» (US). Myth: your heart stops when you sneeze — it does not. You cannot sneeze with your eyes open easily, but it is a reflex, not a danger.