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Glite Dictionary
shell shock

shell shock

5 7.5
A severe emotional and physical reaction after a long time in war or heavy fighting
  • noun
  • /ʃɛl ʃɑk/
  • Archaic
translation icon : shock por explosiones
  • He had shell shock from the constant rattle of jackhammers and the blaring of horns and sirens.
  • shell shock victims

Welcome to a Great War special episode on shell shock in the First World War.

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Examples

  • DaCosta's concept of Soldier's heart fell away, and a British military psychiatrist named Charles Samuel Meyers coined a new term: shell shock.

    Academic text (2012)

  • At first, shell shock was thought to be caused by soldiers being exposed to exploding shells.

    Blog text (10)

  • Walker suffered from severe shell shock.

    Bunker (2023)

  • The effects of shell shock on WWI soldiers.

    Blog text (10)

  • This stigmatization of shell shock victims is repeated throughout the literature of the era.

    Academic text (2012)

  • Many believed that the number of timid soldiers, predisposed to shell shock, was markedly increased by the introduction of compulsory service.

    Academic text (2012)

  • Also arising out of the war and finding expression in the developing science of psychoanalysis was a new appreciation of the psychic effects of war—"shell shock," as it was called then, or "post-traumatic stress disorder" now.

    Academic text (2002)

  • Many veterans of the war suffered from shell shock, which left them emotionally disturbed.

  • The military provided support for those dealing with shell shock after the conflict ended.

  • Psychiatrists recognized shell shock as a serious condition affecting soldiers long after they returned home.

Synonyms

PTSD
vsshell shock
  • Specialized
65 6.1

A mental health problem after a very frightening event that causes reliving the event, feeling numb, and guilt

is specific to prolonged wartime exposure and severe stress rather than general trauma
posttraumatic stress disorder
vsshell shock
  • Specialized
2 4.4

A long-lasting problem in the mind after a very frightening event that causes flashbacks, strong fear, and avoidance of reminders

applies specifically to long wartime exposure, especially bombardment, not all trauma
battle fatigue
vsshell shock
  • Archaic
2 8.2

Strong tiredness and fear that soldiers feel after long fighting

focuses on severe stress and emotional disturbance rather than mainly tiredness
combat fatigue
vsshell shock
  • Archaic
7.6

A mental condition soldiers get after long fighting that causes extreme tiredness, anxiety, and nightmares

stresses bombardment as a specific wartime cause and severe emotional disturbance
combat neurosis
vsshell shock
  • Archaic
8.4

Strong emotional problems soldiers get after war that cause worry and bad dreams

stresses long exposure to warfare especially bombardment as the main cause

How Severe

posttraumatic stress disorder
  • Specialized
2 4.4
shell shock
  • Archaic
5 7.5
trauma
  • Specialized
304 4.8
stress
704 2.8
nervousness
36 2.7

Surface Forms

shell shock singular
shell shocks plural

Morphology

shell + shock

The compound is a straightforward noun+noun composition where 'shell' (an artillery projectile) modifies 'shock' (a strong traumatic/distress reaction), so a learner who knows both words can infer it denotes trauma caused by shells/bombardment. While clinical or historical nuances (now often labelled PTSD) may require exposure, the basic meaning is directly derivable from the constituents.

Etymology

Shell shock comes from World War I, when soldiers were near exploding shells and felt a sudden shock to their mind and body. So, the phrase came to mean 'severe stress and emotional harm caused by fighting'.