LESSON 5: HEALTH - SHIFT WORK

ESSENTIAL, adj., n. [ĭ-sěn'shəl]
(Society depends on the essential services they provide.)

Meanings:

· absolutely necessary

· e.g. food and shelter are essential of life; discipline is essential in an army; oxygen and hydrogen are essential in water

Synonyms: basic, vital, indispensable, necessary
Antonyms: inessential, secondary, peripheral, unimportant

ALTER, vb. [ôl'tər]
(Because shift workers alter their sleep times, their sleep-wake cycle is disturbed.)

Meanings:

· to change partly but no completely

· e.g. will you alter this dress (to fit me)?; he town has altered a lot in the last two years; the discussion has altered my thinking about the issue

Synonyms: change, adjust, modify, amend
Antonyms: continue, keep, maintain, preserve, retain

RESTORE, vb. [rĭ-stōr']
(Sleep rests and restores our bodies so that we can function properly.)

Meaning:

· to put or bring back to an earlier or original stage

· e.g. the week at the spa restored me; the government restores the forest to its original pristine condition; restore the stolen painting to its rightful owner

Synonyms: regenerate, rejuvenate, reconstruct, restitute, reestablish, reinstate
Antonyms: exhaust, neglect, damage

FUNCTION, vb. [fəngk'shən]
(Sleep rests and restores our bodies so that we can function properly.)

Meanings:

· work; to serve a certain purpose

· e.g. the computer isn't functioning no; he rarely functions before noon; the table functions as a desk

Synonyms: operate, perform, serve
Antonyms: malfunction

ALERT, adj. [ə-lərt']
(Shift workers often struggle to stay alert on the job.)

Meaning:

· watchful and ready to take action

· e.g. you must be alert to danger; the patient is now awake and alert; she's very old but still very alert; an alert and responsive baby is a joy

Synonyms: awake, wary, observant, wakeful, vigilant
Antonym: unalert, unaware, asleep, drowsy, sluggish, inattentive

ACTIVATE, vb. [āk'tə-vāt]
(For instance, sunlight activates the daytime clock.)

Meaning:

· to make active or bring into action

· e.g. the smoke activated the fire alarms

Synonyms: trigger, motivate, cause
Antonyms: extinguish, stop, deter, impede