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Glite Dictionary
lead colic

lead colic

9.9
Severe belly pain and constipation caused by long term lead poisoning
  • noun
  • /lɛd ˈkɒlɪk/
  • Archaic
translation icon : cólico por plomo
  • Historically, factory workers were at risk of developing lead colic due to chronic exposure to lead.

Examples

  • Doctors recognized lead colic as a key symptom of prolonged lead poisoning in the 19th century.

  • The patient was diagnosed with lead colic after reporting severe abdominal pain and constipation.

  • The doctor diagnosed her with lead colic.

  • Patients suffering from lead colic often experience severe discomfort.

  • After prolonged exposure to lead, he suffered from debilitating lead colic, requiring frequent visits to the doctor.

  • The factory's unsafe conditions led many employees to develop lead colic due to chronic lead ingestion.

  • She learned about lead colic in her medical class, focusing on its symptoms like severe abdominal pain and constipation.

Synonyms

lead poisoning
vslead colic
  • Specialized
9 3.9

A condition that happens when too much lead gets into the body and makes you sick

focuses specifically on persistent belly pain and constipation rather than all toxic effects
painter's colic
vslead colic
  • Archaic
9.9

A condition of severe stomach pain and long-lasting constipation caused by lead poisoning

is the same illness but not tied to paint work
saturnism
vslead colic
  • Specialized
9.9

A sickness you get from having too much lead in your body

means a specific set of persistent abdominal symptoms rather than general metal toxicity
plumbism
vslead colic
  • Specialized
9.9

Poisoning that happens when too much lead builds up in the body

refers to persistent belly pain and constipation as a particular result

Surface Forms

lead colic singular
lead colics plural

Morphology

lead + colic

The noun phrase simply names a type of colic caused by the metal lead — the meaning is a direct combination of 'lead' (the metal) + 'colic' (abdominal pain). This cause–effect compositional pattern is regular and cross-linguistically transparent, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Lead colic comes from old medical use: the metal lead and the old word colic, which meant 'severe belly pain'. People who ate or breathed in lead often had long-lasting belly pain and constipation, so lead colic came to mean the 'stomach pain' caused by lead poisoning.