Cool MateAdminister vs We take our medicine
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Administer
FormalTop 3,000 (common)C1verb
We take our medicine
Top 2,000 (common)
Most formal: AdministerMost common: We take our medicine
| Administer | We take our medicine | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ədˈmɪnɪstə(r)/","/ədˈmɪnɪstəz/","/ədˈmɪnɪstəd/","/ədˈmɪnɪstərɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ədˈmɪnɪstər/","/ədˈmɪnɪstərz/","/ədˈmɪnɪstərd/","/ədˈmɪnɪstərɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //wi teɪk aʊər ˈmɛdɪsɪn//🇺🇸 //wi teɪk aʊər ˈmɛdɪsɪn// |
| Meaning | To give or manage something, usually help or medicine. | We use medicine to help us feel better. |
| Example | The nurse will administer the vaccine to all eligible patients. | When we feel ill, we take our medicine to recover. |
| Register | Formal | Neutral |
| How common | Top 3,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | C1 | - |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | effectively, efficiently, centrally, be difficult to, be easy to, be simple to | take medicine regularly, take medicine with food, take medicine as directed |
| Antonyms | withhold, deny | - |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'administered' in past tense but forgets the context., Using 'administer' without specifying what is being given., Mixing it up with 'manage', which has a broader meaning. | Confused with 'take' as in 'take a photo'., Using 'took' instead of 'take' when talking about regular habits., Omitting 'our' when talking about one's own medicine. |
| Usage notes | Used in formal contexts, often when discussing healthcare or management. Not appropriate in casual conversations. | This phrase is commonly used in everyday conversations about health. It's appropriate in both casual and more serious contexts. Avoid using in overly formal situations. |
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Frequently asked questions: Administer vs We take our medicine
What's the difference between Administer and We take our medicine?
Administer: To give or manage something, usually help or medicine. We take our medicine: We use medicine to help us feel better.
Which is more formal: Administer and We take our medicine?
Administer is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Administer and We take our medicine?
We take our medicine is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Administer: The nurse will administer the vaccine to all eligible patients. We take our medicine: When we feel ill, we take our medicine to recover.
Can I use Administer and We take our medicine interchangeably?
Not always. Administer and We take our medicine are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.