Single inverted commas

Although it is usual to enclose a word under discussion in single inverted commas, I have chosen instead to emphasise it in red to prevent confusion with apostrophes.
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Monday, 25 June 2012

CHRONIC and ACUTE

These are medical words: chronic means a long-lasting condition and acute means one which is short-lived and flares up suddenly: chronic rheumatism but an acute attack of 'flu.

Chronic has spread into general usage as in chronic disrepair and in colloquial speech it can mean very bad as in: the book was chronic, though this now seems somewhat outdated.
Acute is also used outside medicine as in: I was acutely aware or: He felt an acute sense of guilt where it means sharply or piercing..

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