pill in the pocket
- noun
- Specialized
:
pastilla de bolsillo
- Many patients with atrial fibrillation carry a pill in the pocket for sudden symptoms.
Examples
-
He always carries a pill in the pocket for emergencies.
-
He travels with a pill in the pocket so he can manage his heart condition quickly if necessary.
-
Dr. Smith recommended a pill in the pocket approach for her occasional arrhythmia episodes.
-
Do you have a pill in the pocket for your heart condition?
-
Dr. Smith recommended a pill in the pocket approach for patients who experience irregular heartbeats.
-
He keeps a pill in the pocket to quickly address any sudden heart rhythm issues that arise.
-
Patients with heart conditions often rely on a pill in the pocket strategy to manage symptoms as they occur.
How Prepared
3
2.5
- Specialized
- Specialized
3
3.2
69
2.8
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a tablet kept on one's person for immediate use' is directly and literally derivable from the constituents 'pill' + 'in' + 'pocket' — it simply describes the location and purpose of the pill. This is a straightforward compositional phrase that follows normal English grammar and is cross-linguistically plausible, so a B1 learner who knows the words would readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Pill in the pocket comes from the simple image of carrying a small pill in your pocket so you can take it right away when symptoms start, for example with some heart rhythm problems. So, it means keeping a medicine 'ready' to take 'as needed' rather than on a fixed schedule.