jackleg
EnglishMerriam-Webster DictionaryEnglishMerriam-Webster Dictionarydrug
plural drugs
Definition (Entry 1 of 3)
- : a substance used as a medication or in the preparation of medicationaccording to the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act: a substance recognized in an official pharmacopoeia or formulary (see formulary sense 3): a substance intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease //prescription drugs //drugs for treating high blood pressure: a substance other than food intended to affect the structure or function of the body: a substance intended for use as a component of a medicine but not a device or a component, part, or accessory of a device
- : something and often an illegal substance that causes addiction, habituation (see habituation sense 2b), or a marked change in consciousness //keeping teens off drugs //heroin and other hard drugs
- : a commodity that is not salable or for which there is no demand (see demand entry 1 sense 3a) —used in the phrase drug on the market
- obsolete : a substance used in dyeing or chemical operations
verb
drugged; drugging; drugs
Definition (Entry 2 of 3)
- transitive verb
- : to affect (a person or animal) with a drug (see drug entry 1)especially : to stupefy (someone) by an intoxicating drug //looks like he's been drugged
- : to administer a drug to (a person or animal) //drugged against pain
- : to lull or stupefy (someone) as if with a drug //… the kind of overly familiar music that delights most audiences and drugs most critics. — Time
- : to add an illicit or intoxicating drug to (food or drink) usually surreptitiously //There's also very little violence in the movie. … The kidnapping is done by drugging the victim's drink. — Drew Zahn
- intransitive verb
- : to take drugs especially for the intoxicating effect
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms: Noun
cure medicament medication medicinal medicine pharmaceutical physic remedy specificExamples
Noun
- //a new drug used to treat people with high blood pressure
- //an experimental drug for the treatment of AIDS
- //Have you ever taken any illegal drugs?
- //I don't smoke, drink, or do drugs.
Verb
- //He looks like he's been drugged.
- //Someone could have drugged your drink.
First Known Use
Noun
1611, in the meaning defined at sense 4Verb
1667, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2History and Etymology
Noun and Verb
Middle English droggedrug
noun
Synonyms (Entry 1 of 2)
- a substance or preparation used to treat disease //prescribed a drug to treat the bacterial infection
verb
Synonyms (Entry 2 of 2)
- as in dose, care (for)Synonyms & Near Synonyms
drug
plural drugs
Definition (Entry 1 of 3)
- : a substance used as a medication or in the preparation of medicationaccording to the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act: a substance recognized in an official pharmacopoeia or formulary (see formulary sense 3): a substance intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease //prescription drugs //drugs for treating high blood pressure: a substance other than food intended to affect the structure or function of the body: a substance intended for use as a component of a medicine but not a device or a component, part, or accessory of a device
- : something and often an illegal substance that causes addiction, habituation (see habituation sense 2b), or a marked change in consciousness //keeping teens off drugs //heroin and other hard drugs
- : a commodity that is not salable or for which there is no demand (see demand entry 1 sense 3a) —used in the phrase drug on the market
- obsolete : a substance used in dyeing or chemical operations
verb
drugged; drugging; drugs
Definition (Entry 2 of 3)
- transitive verb
- : to affect (a person or animal) with a drug (see drug entry 1)especially : to stupefy (someone) by an intoxicating drug //looks like he's been drugged
- : to administer a drug to (a person or animal) //drugged against pain
- : to lull or stupefy (someone) as if with a drug //… the kind of overly familiar music that delights most audiences and drugs most critics. — Time
- : to add an illicit or intoxicating drug to (food or drink) usually surreptitiously //There's also very little violence in the movie. … The kidnapping is done by drugging the victim's drink. — Drew Zahn
- intransitive verb
- : to take drugs especially for the intoxicating effect
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms: Noun
cure medicament medication medicinal medicine pharmaceutical physic remedy specificExamples
Noun
- //a new drug used to treat people with high blood pressure
- //an experimental drug for the treatment of AIDS
- //Have you ever taken any illegal drugs?
- //I don't smoke, drink, or do drugs.
Verb
- //He looks like he's been drugged.
- //Someone could have drugged your drink.
First Known Use
Noun
1611, in the meaning defined at sense 4Verb
1667, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2History and Etymology
Noun and Verb
Middle English droggedrug
noun
Synonyms (Entry 1 of 2)
- a substance or preparation used to treat disease //prescribed a drug to treat the bacterial infection
verb
Synonyms (Entry 2 of 2)
- as in dose, care (for)Synonyms & Near Synonyms