First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
1drug
noun \ˈdrəg\
: a substance that is used as a medicine
: an illegal and often harmful substance (such as heroin, cocaine, LSD, or marijuana) that people take for pleasure
Full Definition of DRUG
1
a obsolete : a substance used in dyeing or chemical operations b : a substance used as a medication or in the preparation of medication c according to the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (1) : a substance recognized in an official pharmacopoeia or formulary (2) : a substance intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease (3) : a substance other than food intended to affect the structure or function of the body (4) : a substance intended for use as a component of a medicine but not a device or a component, part, or accessory of a device
2
: a commodity that is not salable or for which there is no demand —used in the phrase drug on the market
3
: something and often an illegal substance that causes addiction, habituation, or a marked change in consciousness
— drug·gy also drug·gie \ˈdrə-gē\ adjective
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See drug defined for kids
Origin of DRUG
Middle English drogge
Related to DRUG
- Synonyms
- cure, medicine, medicament, medication, medicinal, pharmaceutical, physic, remedy, specific
Other Drug/Tobacco Terms
2drug
verb
: to give a drug to (a person or animal) in order to make that person or animal very sleepy or unconscious
: to add a drug to (a food or drink) in order to make someone sleepy or unconscious
druggeddrug·ging
Full Definition of DRUG
transitive verb
1
: to affect with a drug; especially : to stupefy by a narcotic drug
2
: to administer a drug to
3
: to lull or stupefy as if with a drug
intransitive verb
: to take drugs for narcotic effect
See drug defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of DRUG
1605
3drug
Definition of DRUG
dialect past of drag
DRUGGED Defined for Kids
1drug
noun \ˈdrəg\
Definition of DRUG for Kids
1
: a substance used as a medicine or in making medicines
2
: a substance (as cocaine) that may harm or addict a user
2drug
verb
druggeddrug·ging
Definition of DRUG for Kids
1
: to poison with or as if with a drug
2
: to make sleepy or unconscious with drugs
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