Words / A2

PAYSHUNS/ˈpeɪʃns/

Patience is staying calm while you wait or keep trying: have patience, lose patience, it takes patience. Patient is the adjective, or a person in hospital. Impatience is the opposite idea. Patients (people) sounds the same as patience in many accents — spelling mix-up. Do not write patience when you mean patients, or patents.

Meaning

The ability to wait or keep trying without getting angry.

Examples

• “Buying tickets online takes patience at busy times.”
• “Queueing for the ferry takes patience in August.”
• “Thank you for your patience during the delay.”

Good to know

have / lose patience (uncountable). Adjective: patient. Mix-up: patients (hospital).

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