hardening of the arteries
Low-MediumFormal/Technical
Definition
Meaning
A medical condition where artery walls thicken and lose elasticity, impeding blood flow.
A metaphorical term for a process or system becoming rigid, inflexible, resistant to change, or clogged, similar to the medical condition.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a medical term but commonly used metaphorically in business, politics, and social commentary. The literal medical term is more specific than the metaphorical use.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in usage. The term 'arteriosclerosis' is the more precise medical synonym in both regions.
Connotations
Identical connotations in both varieties: negative, implying decline, blockage, and loss of function.
Frequency
Equally common in medical and metaphorical contexts in both the UK and US.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Patient + have/suffer from + hardening of the arteriesHardening of the arteries + cause/lead to + conditionVerb + (due to/because of) + hardening of the arteriesVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[Metaphorical use only] The company is suffering from a hardening of the arteries when it comes to innovation.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to describe bureaucratic processes or corporate culture becoming inflexible and slow.
Academic
Common in medical literature; also used in sociology/political science to describe institutional stagnation.
Everyday
Primarily used in discussions about health, especially for elderly relatives.
Technical
A layperson's term for arteriosclerosis, often used in patient-facing materials.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The arteries are hardening.
- His arteries began to harden in his fifties.
American English
- The arteries are hardening.
- His arteries started to harden in his fifties.
adverb
British English
- (Not typically used as a standalone adverb from this noun phrase)
American English
- (Not typically used as a standalone adverb from this noun phrase)
adjective
British English
- He has hardening arteries.
- The hardening arterial walls were visible on the scan.
American English
- He has hardening arteries.
- The hardening artery walls were visible on the scan.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- His doctor said he has hardening of the arteries.
- Hardening of the arteries can cause high blood pressure and heart problems.
- The patient's symptoms were directly attributed to a progressive hardening of the arteries.
- Metaphorically, the political party was accused of suffering from a hardening of the arteries, incapable of adapting its ideology to modern challenges.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine an old, stiff garden hose that can't bend and has gunk inside it, slowing the water flow. That's 'hardening of the arteries'.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE BODY/ORGANIZATION IS A SYSTEM OF CHANNELS; RIGIDITY/STAGNATION IS BLOCKAGE/CLOGGING.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calques like 'затвердение артерий'. The standard medical term is 'артериосклероз' (arteriosclerosis). The metaphorical use should be translated contextually, e.g., 'окостенение системы', 'закостенение'.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'hardening in the arteries' (preposition error). Correct: 'hardening of the arteries'.
- Confusing it specifically with 'atherosclerosis' (a type of arteriosclerosis involving plaque buildup).
Practice
Quiz
What is the most precise medical synonym for 'hardening of the arteries'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It is a chronic condition that is a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes, but it is not the event itself.
The process can begin early in life due to factors like poor diet and lack of exercise, but significant symptoms typically appear in middle to old age.
It describes any system (e.g., a company, government) becoming slow, inflexible, and resistant to new ideas or change.
'Arteriosclerosis' is the general term for artery hardening. 'Atherosclerosis' is a specific type involving the buildup of fatty plaques inside the arteries.