drugs
English meaning: Drugs
Definition
A substance used to treat an illness, relieve a symptom, or modify a chemical process in the body for a specific purpose.
Example
“Aspirin is a drug that reduces pain, acts against inflammation and lowers body temperature.”
Another example: “Doctors prescribe these drugs to lower blood pressure.”
Usage — When, Where & How
Plural noun (of 'drug') for medicines and, very often, illegal narcotic substances; the medical sense is neutral ('prescription drugs') while the illicit sense ('on drugs', 'do drugs') is informal and carries strong social weight.
Etymology & Origin
English — Origin & History
From Old French 'drogue' (a supply, a medicinal substance), of uncertain ultimate origin, entering English in the 14th century.
Synonyms
- medicines
- medications
- narcotics
- substances
- pharmaceuticals
Related Words
- psychotropic
- lsd
- heroin
- cocaine
- morphine
- prescription
- serotonin
- cannabis
- dopamine
- substances
Common Collocations
- illegal drugs
- prescription drugs
- on drugs
- do drugs
- drugs and alcohol
- performance-enhancing drugs
Word Forms
drug (n & v); drugs; drugged; drugging
Word Tools
Literary Heritage
“To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.”
/To thine own self be true/
“Be honest with yourself — and as naturally as night follows day, you will be unable to be false to others.”
“I'm nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody, too?”
/I'm nobody! Who are you?/
“I am nobody — and that quiet anonymity is more honest than the noise of public fame.”
Images
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Language information
- Language
- English
- English
- Script
- Latin
- Family
- Indo-European
- Speakers
- 1.5B