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disrepair and in colloquial speech it can mean very bad as in: the book was chronic, though this now seems somewhat outdated.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..
Showing posts with label acute. Show all posts
Showing posts with label acute. Show all posts
Monday, 25 June 2012
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