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drug

Syllabification: (drug)
Pronunciation: /drəg/
Translate drug | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of drug

noun

  • a medicine or other substance which has a physiological effect when ingested or otherwise introduced into the body:a new drug aimed at sufferers from Parkinson’s disease
  • a substance taken for its narcotic or stimulant effects, often illegally: [as modifier]:a drug addict figurativemass adoration is a highly addictive drug

verb (drugs, drugging, drugged)

[with object]
  • administer a drug to (someone) in order to induce stupor or insensibility:they were drugged to keep them quiet
  • add a drug to (food or drink):he drugged their coffee
  • [no object] informal take illegally obtained drugs:fifteen years of drinking and drugging she was convinced he was out drinking and drugging

Phrases

do drugs

informal take illegal drugs.

on drugs

taking medically prescribed drugs:on drugs for high blood pressure
under the influence of or habitually taking illegal drugs.

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French drogue, possibly from Middle Dutch droge vate, literally 'dry vats', referring to the contents (i.e., dry goods)

drug in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of drug in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

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