Patient meaning in English

Learn how to use Patient correctly with Gymglish.
Test and improve your English. Start your free trial today.

TEST YOUR ENGLISH Free trial and no commitment to buy
4,7 on App Store, Play Store and Trustpilot More than 8 million learners worldwide

Definition

(to be) patient: to wait without complaining; (to be) tolerant, understanding, calm adjective
Luna is very patient during interviews. She is very tolerant even with difficult candidates.
a patient: a person receiving medical care noun
a mental patient a person receiving medical care for mental illness
impatient: intolerant, unable to wait, in a hurry adjective
At times, Bruno can get impatient with incompetent employees. He is intolerant of their inability to do the job.

Examples

  • "Your business card was attached to the patient's buttocks with chewing gum. He refuses to reveal his name, and broke a fire-extinguisher during check in."
  • "As one of our patients, your body will be frozen when you die and preserved in cryonic suspension."
  • "I am unable to reach you by telephone, so I am writing you this email in regards to a patient who checked in at 3 AM this morning."
  • "Patient : Uh... nineteen?"
  • "I'm sorry, I'm with a patient at the moment but that doesn't mean I don't have time for you."
  • "Donna : So, Mr. Farmer you were talking about a machine that would allow me to look into the minds of my patients."
  • "When I dumped him he went mad and was sent to an insane asylum. You could say that he was my first patient."
  • "In fact, you're as bad as some of my speech therapy patients."
  • "Trey : You just have to be patient, sir."
  • "Patient : I am the king of the snow monkeys!"
  • "Please be patient with him and listen to his advice."
  • "Patient : Everything smells like pancakes!"
  • "In fact, you're as bad as some of my speech therapy patients, mmkay?"
  • "Donna has an open-door policy for her patients."
  • "Donna : Yes, but Bruno I take my radio work very seriously, and I have my own patients as well."
  • "Anosmia may be permanent, although a handful of patients have reported a full recovery."
  • "I have included an audio file of the patient during one of his calmer periods."
Exercise 1
Please hold the line.

From the list below, select those sentences which could replace the sentence "please hold the line" in this context, and express the same meaning.

There may be more than one correct answer!

Please hold the line.

From the list below, select those sentences which could replace the sentence "please hold the line" in this context, and express the same meaning.

There may be more than one correct answer!
"Please hold" is a shorter, and grammatically correct, version of "please hold the line". This expression is frequently used during telephone conversations: either with a real person, or an automated response service. Example: "Please hold. We are trying to connect your call".
It does not make sense to use the term "quit" in this context. To "quit" means "to stop". Example: "I'm trying to quit smoking". It cannot be used to ask someone not to "hang up" the telephone or to "stay on the line".
"Wait a second" is a polite way of asking your correspondent to "hold the line", and is very useful on the telephone. Example: "Wait a second please, I'll see if she's available".
This is grammatically incorrect: the term "patient" cannot be used as a verb. It is either a noun: "The doctor sees 100 patients per day", or an adjective: "Julia is a very patient woman".
"To hang up" is to end a phone call: the opposite meaning to "please hold the line"!
Exercise 2
The term dissatisfied means not satisfied. Complete the story below with the appropriate prefixes for the missing words!

Horatio's behaviour can be very at times. He often makes comments to his colleagues (especially Susie). He even shows towards Bruno Delavigne. For example, he once said "Stupid man, you are so ! I am making your perfumes as fast as I can!".
The term dissatisfied means not satisfied. Complete the story below with the appropriate prefixes for the missing words!

Horatio's behaviour can be very unprofessional 1 at times. He often makes inappropriate 2 comments to his colleagues (especially Susie). He even shows disrespect 3 towards Bruno Delavigne. For example, he once said "Stupid man, you are so impatient 4! I am making your perfumes as fast as I can!".
1 unprofessional: "Unprofessional" is the correct choice here. "Unprofessional behaviour" is acting in a way which is inappropriate for the workplace, or not suitable for a business environment. Example: "It is unprofessional of you to spend all day on MyFace.com when you're supposed to be working".
1 disprofessional: Sorry, but this term doesn't exist! We say "disappear", "disproportionate", and "disadvantage", but "unprofessional"!
1 improfessional: Sorry, but this term doesn't exist! We say "improper", "impossible", and "impatient", but "unprofessional"!
1 inprofessional: Sorry, but this term doesn't exist! We say "inappropriate", "indecisive", and "inoffensive", but "unprofessional"!
2 inappropriate: "Inappropriate" is the right term. If something is "inappropriate", it is "not suitable" or "offensive". Example: 'A bikini is inappropriate attire for the office.
2 unappropriate: This answer is inappropriate! We say "unpleasant", "unattractive", and "unfortunate", but "inappropriate"!
2 disappropriate: This answer is inappropriate! We say "disappear", "disproportionate", and "disadvantage", but "inappropriate"!
2 imappropriate: This answer is inappropriate! We say "improper", "impossible", and "impatient", but "inappropriate"!
3 disrespect: This is the right answer. "Disrespect" is the opposite of "respect". There is a related verb: "to disrespect (someone)". Example: "Do not disrespect your teachers!".
3 unrespect: Unfortunately this isn't the right term. We say "unpleasant", "unattractive", and "unfortunate", but "disrespect"!
3 inrespect: Unfortunately this isn't the right term. We say "inappropriate", "indecisive", and "inoffensive", but "disrespect"!
3 imrespect: Unfortunately this isn't the right term. We say "improper", "impossible", and "impatient", but "disrespect"!
4 impatient: "Impatient" is the correct choice here. If someone is "impatient", they don't like waiting.
4 unpatient: Sorry, but this isn't the correct prefix! We say "unpleasant", "unattractive", and "unfortunate", but "impatient"!
4 dispatient: Sorry, but this isn't the correct prefix! We say "disappear", "disproportionate", and "disadvantage", but "impatient"!
4 inpatient: Sorry, but this isn't the correct prefix! We say "inappropriate", "indecisive", and "inoffensive", but "impatient"!
Exercise 3
Which of the following statements is true?

Which of the following statements is true?
This is not the correct choice. Although as a noun a "patient" is someone who is sick or staying at a hospital or medical institution, as an adjective, the word has a much different meaning.
This is the only true statement here. Polly says Warbuckle is "getting" impatient'. Another way to say this is "He is becoming impatient."
Harold Warbuckle has not left yet!
Although Polly tells Bruno that Harold Warbuckle is "getting impatient", this does not indicate that Harold Warbuckle has a history of impatience, or that he has "always been" impatient.

Still unsure of the best way to use 'Patient'? Improve your English thanks to our online English lessons. We offer a free test as well as a free level assessment!

What our users say:

Pleasure

         

I enjoy doing my online English lessons. Only ten minutes daily are enough...Thank you!

Innovative

         

I love your innovative method which allows me to learn a new language and have fun at the same time!

Unique

         

Your method is unique! Your courses have helped me to progress and gain confidence during my travels.

Progress

         

Gymglish has allowed me to improve my English. A daily routine I wouldn't miss for anything in the world!

More testimonials.

Test your English with Gymglish today and get a free level assessment

Absolutely free - no strings attached.