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medicine

Syllabification: (med·i·cine)
Pronunciation: /ˈmedisən/
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Definition of medicine

noun

  • 1the science or practice of the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease (in technical use often taken to exclude surgery).
  • 2a compound or preparation used for the treatment or prevention of disease, especially a drug or drugs taken by mouth:give her some medicine your doctor will be able to prescribe medicines
  • healing substances or drugs collectively:an aid convoy loaded with food and medicine
  • 3(among North American Indians and some other peoples) a spell, charm, or fetish believed to have healing, protective, or other power:Fleur was murdering him by use of bad medicine

Phrases

give someone a dose (or taste) of their own medicine

give someone the same bad treatment that they have given to others:tired of his humiliation of me, I decided to give him a taste of his own medicine

take one's medicine

submit to something disagreeable such as punishment.

Origin:

Middle English: via Old French from Latin medicina, from medicus 'physician'

Spell medicine with an i after the d.a medic works in medicine.

medicine in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of medicine in the British & World English dictionary

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