nepenthen.
/nᵻˈpɛnθi/, U.S. /nəˈpɛnθi/ 1.
a. A drink, potion, or drug bringing, or supposed to bring, forgetfulness of trouble or grief; = nepenthes n. 1. Now archaic.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > use of drugs and poison > an intoxicating drug > [noun] > euphoric drug > legendary or imaginary
nepenthes1580
nepenthe1595
soma1932
the world > health and disease > healing > medicines or physic > medicines for specific purpose > sedatives, antispasmodics, etc. > [noun] > sedative > specific drugs
nepenthe1595
nepentha1626
bromide1883
bromo-seltzer1896
Dial1914
bromo1916
Amytal1926
Sedormid1928
Phenergan1948
promethazine1949
chlorpromazine1952
Thorazine1954
perphenazine1957
trimeprazine1959
Mandrax1963
mandy1970
the world > health and disease > healing > medicines or physic > medicines for specific purpose > sedatives, antispasmodics, etc. > [noun] > tranquillizer > specific substances or preparations
nepenthes1580
nepenthe1595
Seconal1935
secobarbital1950
mephenesin1952
Largactil1953
Miltown1954
meprobamate1955
hydroxyzine1956
promazine1956
Sparine1956
prochlorperazine1957
Stelazine1958
trifluoperazine1958
Prolixin1959
chlordiazepoxide1960
Librium1960
diazepam1961
Valium1961
oxazepam1964
pimozide1968
lorazepam1969
temazepam1970
alprazolam1973
1595 G. Chapman Ouids Banquet of Sence sig. B2v Sacred Nepenthe, purgatiue of care, And soueraine Rumex that doth rancor kill.
1596 E. Spenser Second Pt. Faerie Queene iv. iii. sig. D In her other hand a cup she hild, The which was with Nepenthe to the brim vpfild. View more context for this quotation
c1604 Charlemagne (1938) i. 7 From thys lypp puerer Nepenthe flowes.
1630 R. Brathwait Eng. Gentleman 177 Those who are ever carousing in the cup of Nepenthe, steeping their senses in the Lethe of forgetfulnesse.
1654 E. Gayton Pleasant Notes Don Quixot iv. viii. 217 After a..good dose of Nepenthe, they are in a trance.
1681 Table of Hard Words in S. Pordage tr. T. Willis Remaining Med. Wks. Nepenthe, a drink to drive away melancholy.
1738 A. Pope One Thousand Seven Hundred & Thirty Eight 6 Lull'd with the sweet Nepenthe of a Court.
1754 Ld. Chesterfield World No. 92. ⁋6 Gallons of the Nepenthe would be lost upon him. The more he drinks, the duller he grows.
a1822 P. B. Shelley Triumph of Life in Posthumous Poems (1824) 88 In her right hand she bore a crystal glass, Mantling with bright Nepenthe.
1850 R. W. Emerson Uses of Great Men in Representative Men i. 28 Nature never spares the opium or nepenthe; but, wherever she mars her creature..lays her poppies plentifully on the bruise.
1898 T. Watts-Dunton Coming of Love 45 [They] prated of some nepenthe..To quell his love as by a magic potion.
1910 Encycl. Brit. I. 907/2 The mention by Homer of the anaesthetic effects of nepenthe.
1935 S. Beckett Echo's Bones & Other Precipitates Come hastening down for a pint of nepenthe or moly.
1987 S. Bellow More die of Heartbreak 78 A yawning paralysis closed in on me... It wasn't unpleasant. It was like the Greek drug nepenthe.
2002 A. Davies Frog King 301 ‘No nepenthe for you tonight?’ he asks, seeing my water.
b. Medicine. An opiate; spec. a sherry-based tincture of opium and morphine. Now rare or historical.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > medicines or physic > medicines for specific purpose > sedatives, antispasmodics, etc. > [noun] > narcotic
narcoticc1385
opiec1385
opiate?a1425
dormitary1547
mandragora1605
dormitive1619
nepenthe1728
opiatic1847
sleep-stuff1880
chemical1954
fentanyl1963
1728 E. Chambers Cycl. Nepenthe, in Pharmacy, a Name given to an Opiate.
1875 A. S. Taylor Poisons (ed. 3) 569 Nepenthe may be regarded as a solution of opium and citrate of morphia, in nearly equal parts of sherry and rectified spirit.
1898 T. C. Allbutt et al. Syst. Med. V. 775 Dr. Cheadle speaks highly of nepenthe for children.
1968 D. Francis Forfeit xvi. 199 A medicine glass of disprin and nepenthe.
1992 J. Hamilton-Paterson Seven-tenths iv. iii. 142 In addition, Duton recommended any or all of the following: chloral hydrate,..caffeine, eucalyptus and Nepenthe.
2. A plant supposed to supply the drug (sense 1a). Now literary or historical.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular medicinal plants or parts > [noun] > unidentified types of plants
sagittelc1400
bilgresa1475
cancer1546
alypum1597
nepenthe1605
heart a grasse1609
laskwort1647
1605 J. Sylvester in tr. G. de S. Du Bartas Deuine Weekes & Wks. Index sig. xx7v/2 Nepenthe, an herbe which being steeped in wine, is thought to expell sadnesse.
1649 Bp. J. Taylor Great Exemplar iii. 115 The Moly or Nepenthe of Pliny.
1820 P. B. Shelley Prometheus Unbound ii. iv. 84 Folded Elysian flowers, Nepenthe, Moly, Amaranth.
1920 C. M. Doughty Mansoul i. 20 The Temple-maiden had aforetime scruzed, Nepenthe and clary and moly; herb kinds found only, In covert place midst there sequestered rocks.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1595