sedativeadj.n.
/ˈsɛdətɪv/, U.S. /ˈsɛdədɪv/ A. adj.
a. Medicine. That has the property of allaying, assuaging, or soothing. sedative salt, old name (sal sedativum, Homberg 1702) for boracic acid.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > medicines or physic > medicines for specific purpose > analgesic > [adjective] > soothing
sedativec1425
lenitive1543
lenifying1617
demulcing1619
lenient1652
levative1657
levigating1710
demulcent1732
temperating1753
demulcetive1756
soothing1899
the world > health and disease > healing > medicines or physic > medicines for specific purpose > sedatives, antispasmodics, etc. > [adjective] > sedative, narcotic, or hypnotic
stupefactive?a1425
sedativec1425
narcotic1526
opiate1543
narcotical1587
soporiferous1601
hypnotic1625
soporative1629
pacative1664
opiative1674
opiatic1678
thebaic1746
soporific1775
narcotico-acrid1815
depressant1887
opiumy1891
c1425 Arderne's Treat. Fistula 93 Oile roset complete is resolutiue, confortatyue, and conueniently cedatyue of akyng.
c1425 Arderne's Treat. Fistula 94 It is a conuenient resolutyue, and of akyng sedatyue.
1678 E. Phillips New World of Words (new ed.) (at cited word) Sedative Medicines..are such as have power or vertue to allay and asswage pain.
1758 A. Reid tr. P. J. Macquer Elements Theory & Pract. Chym. I. 36 Mr. Homberg called it Sedative Salt, on account of its medical effects.
1813 J. Thomson Lect. Inflammation 614 Disputes..concerning the stimulant and sedative effects of cold.
1862 W. A. Miller Elements Chem. (ed. 2) III. 492 Morphia..appears to be the principal sedative constituent of opium.
b. transferred and gen.
ΚΠ
a1797 E. Burke Fourth Let. Peace Regicide Directory France in Writings & Speeches (1991) IX. 60 Against alarm on their politick and military empire these are the writers sedative remedies.
1853 E. K. Kane U.S. Grinnell Exped. (1856) xxix. 251 It illustrates the sedative effect of a protracted succession of hazards.
1860 R. W. Emerson Illusions in Conduct of Life (London ed.) 281 Is not our faith in the impenetrability of matter more sedative than narcotics?
B. n.
a. Medicine. A sedative medicine.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > medicines or physic > medicines for specific purpose > sedatives, antispasmodics, etc. > [noun] > sedative
sedative1797
depressant1876
psycholeptic1961
1797 Encycl. Brit. XVIII. 99/1 Vinegar..generally acts as a sedative.
1853 C. Brontë Villette III. xl. 258 The sedative had been administered. In fact, they had given me a strong opiate. I was to be held quiet for one night.
1874 H. C. Wood Treat. Therapeutics (1879) 148 There are certain drugs which are used by practitioners to decrease the activity of the circulation; and it is these which are here considered under the heading of Cardiac Sedatives.
1899 T. C. Allbutt et al. Syst. Med. VIII. 604 Sedatives such as bromides and valerian..must be administered.
b. transferred and gen.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > inaction > disinclination to act or listlessness > [noun] > causing > one who or that which
torpedoa1593
opium1608
opiate1641
reposera1648
sedative1785
torporific1840
1785 W. Paley Princ. Moral & Polit. Philos. (Dublin ed.) I. iii. ii. vii. 298 Reflections..which may be called the sedatives of anger.
1841 C. Dickens Barnaby Rudge xv. 13 The lazy influence of a late and lonely breakfast, with the additional sedative of a newspaper.
1864 C. E. L. Riddell George Geith xxix ‘Beryl's singing always sends me to sleep’. ‘So that I am of some use in the world, if only as a sedative’, replied Beryl.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1911; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.n.c1425