Library / English Dictionary

DRUG

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected forms: drugged    , drugging   

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A substance that is used as a medicine or narcotic

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("drug" is a kind of...):

agent (a substance that exerts some force or effect)

Domain member category:

orally ((of drugs) through the mouth rather than through injection; by mouth)

uninjectable ((used of drugs) not capable of being injected)

injectable ((used of drugs) capable of being injected)

generic ((of drugs) not protected by trademark)

potentiate (increase the effect of or act synergistically with (a drug or a physiological or biochemical phenomenon))

anaphylaxis (hypersensitivity reaction to the ingestion or injection of a substance (a protein or drug) resulting from prior contact with a substance)

active transport (transport of a substance (as a protein or drug) across a cell membrane against the concentration gradient; requires an expenditure of energy)

drop (a predetermined hiding place for the deposit and distribution of illicit goods (such as drugs or stolen property))

magic bullet (a remedy (drug or therapy or preventive) that cures or prevents a disease)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "drug"):

arsenical (a pesticide or drug containing arsenic)

anti-impotence drug; virility drug (drug to treat impotence attributable to erectile dysfunction)

synergist (a drug that augments the activity of another drug)

appetite suppressant; suppressant (a drug that suppresses appetite)

excitant; stimulant; stimulant drug (a drug that temporarily quickens some vital process)

hypnotic; soporific (a drug that induces sleep)

relaxant (a drug that relaxes and relieves tension)

psychotropic agent (a chemical substance that can influence human consciousness)

consciousness-altering drug; mind-altering drug; psychoactive drug; psychoactive substance (a drug that can produce mood changes and distorted perceptions)

pentoxifylline; Trental (a drug (trade name Trental) used to treat claudication; believed to increase the flexibility of red blood cells so they can flow through the blood vessels to the legs and feet)

narcotic (a drug that produces numbness or stupor; often taken for pleasure or to reduce pain; extensive use can lead to addiction)

mydriatic; mydriatic drug (a drug that causes the pupil of the eye to dilate; used to aid eye examinations)

miotic; miotic drug; myotic; myotic drug (a drug that causes miosis (constriction of the pupil of the eye))

medicament; medication; medicinal drug; medicine ((medicine) something that treats or prevents or alleviates the symptoms of disease)

levallorphan; Lorfan (drug (trade name Lorfan) that is related to morphine but that counteracts the respiratory depression produced by morphine poisoning but without affecting its analgesic effects)

intoxicant (a drug that can produce a state of intoxication)

aborticide; abortifacient; abortion-inducing drug (a drug (or other chemical agent) that causes abortion)

agonist ((biochemistry) a drug that can combine with a receptor on a cell to produce a physiological reaction)

anaesthetic; anaesthetic agent; anesthetic; anesthetic agent (a drug that causes temporary loss of bodily sensations)

antagonist (a drug that neutralizes or counteracts the effects of another drug)

antisyphilitic (a drug (or other chemical agent) that is effective against syphilis)

anti-TNF compound (a class of drugs that block the action of tumor necrosis factor (TNF); used in cases of rheumatoid arthritis because TNF instigates inflammation of the joints)

botanical (a drug made from part of a plant (as the bark or root or leaves))

brand-name drug; proprietary drug (a drug that has a trade name and is protected by a patent (can be produced and sold only by the company holding the patent))

controlled substance (a drug or chemical substance whose possession and use are controlled by law)

dilator (a drug that causes dilation)

diuretic; diuretic drug; water pill (any substance that tends to increase the flow of urine, which causes the body to get rid of excess water)

drug of abuse; street drug (a drug that is taken for nonmedicinal reasons (usually for mind-altering effects); drug abuse can lead to physical and mental damage and (with some substances) dependence and addiction)

Feosol (trade name of a drug rich in iron; used to treat some kinds of anemia)

Fergon (trade name of a drug rich in iron; used to treat some types of anemia)

fertility drug (a drug used to increase a woman's fertility)

generic drug (when the patent protection for a brand-name drug expires generic versions of the drug can be offered for sale if the FDA agrees)

Holonyms ("drug" is a part of...):

pharmacopoeia (a collection or stock of drugs)

Derivation:

drug (administer a drug to)

drug (use recreational drugs)

druggist (a health professional trained in the art of preparing and dispensing drugs)

Domain member category:

take a hit (inhale through the nose)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Administer a drug to

Example:

They drugged the kidnapped tourist

Synonyms:

dose; drug

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "drug" is one way to...):

medicate; medicine (treat medicinally, treat with medicine)

Domain category:

medicine; practice of medicine (the learned profession that is mastered by graduate training in a medical school and that is devoted to preventing or alleviating or curing diseases and injuries)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "drug"):

poison (administer poison to)

narcotise; narcotize (administer narcotics to)

o.d.; overdose (dose too heavily)

dope; dope up (give a narcotic to)

anaesthetise; anaesthetize; anesthetise; anesthetize; put out; put under (administer an anesthetic drug to)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

drug (a substance that is used as a medicine or narcotic)

drugging (the administration of a sedative agent or drug)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Use recreational drugs

Synonyms:

do drugs; drug

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Hypernyms (to "drug" is one way to...):

habituate; use (take or consume (regularly or habitually))

Cause:

get off; trip; trip out; turn on (get high, stoned, or drugged)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "drug"):

inject (take by injection)

snort; take a hit (inhale through the nose)

base; free-base (use (purified cocaine) by burning it and inhaling the fumes)

drop (take (a drug, especially LSD), by mouth)

dope (take drugs to improve one's athletic performance)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

drug (a substance that is used as a medicine or narcotic)

Credits

 Context examples: 

A legal drug that is used to prevent, treat, or relieve symptoms of a disease or abnormal condition.

(Medication, NCI Dictionary)

For instance, vaterite nanoparticles loaded with anti-cancer drugs appear to offload the drug slowly only at sites of cancers and therefore limit the negative side-effects of the drug.

(Rare mineral discovered in plants for first time, University of Cambridge)

It includes the drugs doxorubicin hydrochloride (Adriamycin) and cyclophosphamide, followed by treatment with paclitaxel (Taxol).

(AC-T, NCI Dictionary)

This gene plays a role in multi-drug resistance and is involved in blood-brain barrier transport.

(ABCB1 Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

It includes the drugs doxorubicin hydrochloride (Adriamycin) and cyclophosphamide, followed by treatment with paclitaxel (Taxol) and trastuzumab (Herceptin).

(AC-T-T, NCI Dictionary)

This gene plays a role in both membrane transport and drug resistance.

(ABCB5 Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

Expression of the gene is linked to drug resistance for a subset of melanomas.

(ABCB5 wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

I want his directions no more than his drugs.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

This gene is involved in multi-drug resistance, antigen presentation and is postulated to play a role in mitochondrial function.

(ABCB6 Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

A drug used to prevent and treat symptoms of asthma.

(Accolate, NCI Dictionary)