Medicine
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Physic \Phys"ic\ (f[i^]z"[i^]k), n. [OE. phisike, fisike, OF.
phisique, F. physique knowledge of nature, physics, L.
physica, physice, fr. Gr. fysikh`, fr. fysiko`s natural, from
fy`sis nature, fr. fy`ein to produce, grow, akin to E. be.
See {Be}, and cf. {Physics}, {Physique}.]
1. The art of healing diseases; the science of medicine; the
theory or practice of medicine; -- an archaic term,
superseded by {medicine}. [archaic] "A doctor of physik."
--Chaucer.
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2. A specific internal application for the cure or relief of
sickness; a remedy for disease; a medicine.
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3. Specifically, a medicine that purges; a cathartic.
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4. A physician. [R.] --Shak.
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{Physic nut} (Bot.), a small tropical American euphorbiaceous
tree ({Jatropha Curcas}), and its seeds, which are well
flavored, but contain a drastic oil which renders them
dangerous if eaten in large quantities.
[1913 Webster]
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Medicine \Med"i*cine\, n. [L. medicina (sc. ars), fr. medicinus
medical, fr. medicus: cf. F. m['e]decine. See {Medical}.]
1. The science which relates to the prevention, cure, or
alleviation of disease.
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2. Any substance administered in the treatment of disease; a
remedial agent; a medication; a drug; a pharmaceutical; a
medicament; a remedy; physic.
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By medicine, life may be prolonged. --Shak.
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3. A philter or love potion. [Obs.] --Shak.
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4. [F. m['e]decin.] A physician. [Obs.] --Shak.
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5.
(a) Among the North American Indians, any object supposed
to give control over natural or magical forces, to act
as a protective charm, or to cause healing; also,
magical power itself; the potency which a charm,
token, or rite is supposed to exert.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
The North American Indian boy usually took as
his medicine the first animal of which he
dreamed during the long and solitary fast that
he observed at puberty. --F. H.
Giddings.
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(b) Hence, a similar object or agency among other savages.
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6. Short for {Medicine man}.
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7. Intoxicating liquor; drink. [Slang]
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{Medicine bag}, a charm; -- so called among the North
American Indians, or in works relating to them.
{Medicine man} (among the North American Indians), a person
who professes to cure sickness, drive away evil spirits,
and regulate the weather by the arts of magic; a shaman.
{Medicine seal}, a small gem or paste engraved with reversed
characters, to serve as a seal. Such seals were used by
Roman physicians to stamp the names of their medicines.
[1913 Webster]
from
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
103 Moby Thesaurus words for "medicine":
anatomy, anesthesiology, audiology, bacteriology, balm, balsam,
cardiology, chiropody, corpse reviver, cure, cure-all,
dental surgery, dentistry, dermatology, diagnostics, drops, drug,
electuary, elixir, embryology, endocrinology, epidemiology,
ethical drug, etiology, exodontics, firewater, fluoroscopy,
generic name, geriatrics, gerontology, healing arts, hematology,
herbs, hooch, hygiene, immunochemistry, immunology, inhalant,
internal medicine, likker, lincture, linctus, materia medica,
medical care, medical treatment, medicament, medication, medicinal,
medicinal herbs, medicines, mental hygiene, mixture, mycology,
neurology, neurosurgery, nonprescription drug, nostrum, nutrition,
obstetrics, officinal, ophthalmology, optometry, orthodontics,
otolaryngology, otology, panacea, patent medicine, pathology,
periodontics, pharmaceutical, pharmacon, physic, physical medicine,
powder, preparation, prescription, prescription drug, proprietary,
proprietary medicine, proprietary name, psychiatry, psychoanalysis,
psychology, psychotherapy, radiology, remedy, sauce, semeiology,
serology, simples, snake medicine, surgery, symptomatology, syrup,
teratology, therapeusis, therapeutics, theraputant, therapy,
tiger milk, tisane, treatment, vegetable remedies
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