prescribeverb
uk/prɪˈskraɪb/us/prɪˈskraɪb/prescribe verb (GIVE MEDICINE)
C2 [ T often passive ] (of a doctor) to say what medical treatment someone should have:
The drug is often prescribed for ulcers.
[ + two objects ] I've been prescribed painkillers.
More examples
- The doctor prescribed some pills.
- The doctor prescribed some medicine and told her to have a week's rest.
- I hoped he would prescribe some stronger pain killers.
- Is there anything stronger you can prescribe?
- He wouldn't prescribe anything - just recommended rest.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Medicines & drugs: administering drugs & medicines
- anaesthesiology
- anaesthetist
- anesthesiology
- bolus
- dispense
- doping
- dose
- drug
- ED
- inject
- knock
- knock sb out
- overprescribe
- PCA
- put
- put sb on sth
- sedate
- sedation
- self-medicate
- tranquillize
prescribe verb (MAKE RULE)
[ T ] formal to tell someone what they must have or do, or to make a rule of something:
Penalties for not paying taxes are prescribed by law.
[ + that ] The law prescribes that all children must go to school.
[ + question word ] Grammatical rules prescribe how words may be used together.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Giving orders & commands
- all-points bulletin
- boss
- bossyboots
- chain of command
- charge
- crack the whip idiom
- defy
- demand
- dun
- enjoin
- expect
- forget
- harry
- lay down the law idiom
- mandate
- ordain
- order sb around
- overbearing
- prescribed
- steamroller
See more results »