dope

 
Pronunciation: /dəʊp/

noun

[mass noun]
  • 1 informal a drug taken illegally for recreational purposes, especially cannabis or (US) heroin: police arrested a protester for smoking dope
  • a drug given to a racehorse or greyhound to inhibit or enhance its performance.
  • a drug taken by an athlete to improve performance: [as modifier]: he failed a dope test
  • 2 [count noun] informal a stupid person: though he wasn’t an intellectual giant, he was no dope either
  • 3 informal information about a subject, especially if not generally known: our reviewer will give you the dope on hot spots around the town
  • 4a varnish formerly applied to fabric surfaces of aircraft to strengthen them and keep them airtight.
  • a thick liquid used as a lubricant.
  • a substance added to petrol to increase its effectiveness.

verb

[with object]
  • 1administer drugs to (a racehorse, greyhound, or athlete) in order to inhibit or enhance sporting performance: the horse was doped before the race
  • (be doped up) informal be heavily under the influence of drugs, typically illegal ones: he was so doped up that he can’t remember a thing
  • treat (food or drink) with drugs: maybe they had doped her Perrier
  • [no object] informal, dated regularly take illegal drugs.
  • 2smear or cover with varnish or other thick liquid: she doped the surface with photographic emulsion
  • 3 Electronics add an impurity to (a semiconductor) to produce a desired electrical characteristic.

adjective

black slang
  • very good: that suit is dope!

Phrasal Verbs

dope something out

informal, dated work out something: they met to dope out plans for covering the event

Derivatives

doper

noun

Origin:

early 19th century (in the sense 'thick liquid'): from Dutch doop 'sauce', from doopen 'to dip, mix'