Word family noun patience ≠ impatience patient adjective patient ≠ impatient adverb patiently ≠ impatiently
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishpatiencepa‧tience /ˈpeɪʃəns/ ●●○ S3 noun [uncountable] 1 WAITthe ability to continue waiting or doing something for a long time without becoming angry or anxious OPP impatience I wouldn’t have the patience to sit sewing all day.infinite/unlimited/endless patience a good listener who has infinite patience2 ACCEPTthe ability to accept trouble and other people’s annoying behaviour without complaining or becoming angry You’ll need patience and understanding if you’re going to be a teacher.have little/no patience with somebody She has no patience with time-wasters.lose/run out of patience (with somebody) (=stop being patient and get angry) I’m beginning to lose patience with you people. It will take time and patience to get these changes accepted. Celia’s patience suddenly snapped and she told them to shut up.the patience of Job/the patience of a saint (=very great patience when someone is annoying you) Henry’s negative attitude is beginning to try my patience (=make me lose my patience).3 → (have) patience4 British EnglishDGC a card game for one player SYN solitaire American EnglishCOLLOCATIONS – Meanings 1 & 2verbshave the patience to do somethingHe didn't have the patience to listen to another point of view.have little/no patience with somebodyI'm afraid I have little patience with bureaucrats and their official rules.lose patience (with somebody)Eventually his family lost patience with him and his irresponsible behaviour.run out of patience (with somebody)She was wonderful with the children, and never ran out of patience.try/test/tax somebody's patience (=make it difficult for someone to continue to be patient)The guy at the desk was beginning to try my patience.exhaust somebody's patience (=make someone lose patience)He turned away from me, as if I had exhausted his patience.somebody's patience is wearing thin (=they are becoming angry)People's patience is wearing thin as the queues for visas get longer.somebody's patience snaps (=they suddenly show their anger)Celia's patience snapped when he dropped a second glass of wine on the carpet. somebody's patience is rewarded (=they get what they were hoping and waiting to get)After two hours, their patience was rewarded and they saw the bird.adjectivesgreat patiencePainting by this method requires great patience.infinite/endless/unlimited patienceShe was lucky to have a maths teacher with infinite patience.phrasesthe patience of Job/a saint (=very great patience)Those children would try the patience of a saint. Examples from the Corpus
patience• The shepherd's skills and patience are still needed today, although barely a thousand shepherds work the summer Alpine pastures.• This type of medical research requires enormous patience.• Solomon, in Proverbs, highlighted patience, where he said that a prince is made mellow by patience.• Keith Jackson was starting to lose patience.• But it required total commitment, a huge investment and much patience.• More interesting was the momentary lapse of patience by Coach Dave Wannstedt in defending the moves.• We just ran out of patience with him.• The slow, fuzzy video and choppy sound were enough to try the patience of even the most patient.have ... patience• Would each have the patience to continue the play, the will to make it work for them?• I could have competed on an international level but I didn't have the patience coping with injuries and stuff.have little/no patience with somebody• I have little patience with routine tasks such as washing up, filling in forms, etc. 2.• I, I just have no patience with him much anymore. 