Definition of flatline

flatlineverb

đường thẳng

/ˈflætlaɪn//ˈflætlaɪn/

The term "flatline" originates from the field of medical monitoring, specifically in anesthesiology and critical care medicine. In the 1960s, medical professionals used electrocardiograms (ECGs) to monitor patients' hearts. A flatline referred to an ECG reading that showed a complete absence of electrical activity, indicating cardiac arrest or death. In the 1970s and 1980s, the term "flatline" gained popularity in television and film, particularly in medical dramas. It was often used to describe a patient's heart rate that had become so slow or irregular that it appeared as a flat line on the ECG monitor, indicating the patient was clinically dead. Over time, the term "flatline" has been adopted in general language to describe a wide range of concepts, including the absence of activity, excitement, or progress, as well as a stagnant or uneventful situation.

namespace

to be at a low level and fail to improve or increase

ở mức thấp và không cải thiện hoặc tăng

Example:
  • He said the party had been ‘flatlining’—failing to increase its level of support—for eight years.

    Ông cho biết đảng đã "yếu thế" - không thể tăng mức độ ủng hộ - trong tám năm.

to die; to become clinically dead even if you later recover

chết; trở nên chết lâm sàng ngay cả khi sau đó bạn hồi phục

Example:
  • I flatlined twice and was on life support for several days.

    Tôi đã ngất xỉu hai lần và phải nhờ đến máy hỗ trợ sự sống trong nhiều ngày.

Related words and phrases