emergency

plural emergencies · alternative archaic emergence

1. attributivesometimesA situation which poses an immediate risk and which requires urgent attention.

   Cardiac arrest is an emergency requiring medical attention.

   1 more example

   We also found that the only emergency egress from the tram was by smashing the front or rear windscreens, and that emergency lighting had failed when the tram overturned.

   2021 December 29, Dominique Louis, “Causal analysis: crashworthiness at Sandilands”, in RAIL, number 947, page 33

2. The department of a hospital that treats emergencies.

   I've got a really bad disease It's got me begging on my hands and knees So take me to emergency Cause something seems to be missing

   2009, “Restless Heart Syndrome”, in 21st Century Breakdown, performed by Green Day

   Synonyms: ER, casualty, emerg

3. A person brought in at short notice to replace a member of staff, a player in a sporting team, etc.

   November 2 2014, Daniel Taylor, "Sergio Agüero strike wins derby for Manchester City against 10-man United," guardian.co.uk Van Gaal responded by replacing Adnan Januzaj with Carrick and, in fairness, the emergency centre-half did exceedingly well given that he has not played since May.

4. archaicThe quality of being emergent; sudden or unexpected appearance; an unforeseen occurrence.
5. euphemisticA critical urge to urinate or defecate.

1. IrelandhistoricalWorld War II as experienced in Ireland.

   Indeed, Northern Ireland held a substantial U.S. military presence for much of the war; American soldiers were by no means uncommon on the streets of some Irish towns and cities during the Emergency.

   2017, John Gibney, “Two Irelands”, in A Short History of Ireland, 1500–2000, New Haven: Yale University Press, →ISBN

2. Malaysiaeuphemistichistoricalthe Malayan Emergency as experienced in Malaysia.