heartsink
n.— «The patients that dismay me the most are the ones I see a lot whom I can’t help. We call them heartsink patients, for obvious reasons, and someone once reckoned that most partners in practice have about fifty heartsinks on their books.» —by Nick Hornby How to Be Good Aug. 1, 2001. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Book recommendations and the art of apology. Martha and Grant share some good reads, including an opinionated romp through English grammar, a Spanish-language adventure novel, an account of 19th-century dictionary wars, and a gorgeously illustrated...
Book recommendations, including a collection of short stories inspired by dictionaries, and a techno-thriller for teens. Or, how about novels with an upbeat message? Publishers call this genre up lit. Plus, a clergyman ponders an arresting phrase in...