Definitions for Opium
ˈoʊ pi əmopi·um

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. opiumnoun

   an addictive narcotic extracted from seed capsules of the opium poppy

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. opiumnoun

   A yellow-brown, addictive narcotic drug obtained from the dried juice of unripe pods of the opium poppy, Papaver somniferum, and containing alkaloids such as morphine, codeine, and papaverine.

2. opiumnoun

   Anything that numbs or stupefies.

3. Etymology: From opium and, from.

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Opiumnoun

   A juice, partly of the resinous, partly of the gummy kind. It is brought to us in flat cakes or masses, usually of a roundish figure, very heavy and of a dense texture, not perfectly dry: its colour is a dark brownish yellow; its smell is very unpleasant, of a dead faint kind; and its taste very bitter and very acrid. It is brought from Natolia, from Egypt, and from the East-Indies, where it is produced from the white garden poppy; a plant of which every part is full of a milky juice, and with which the fields of Asia-Minor are in many places sown as ours are with corn. When the heads grow to maturity, but are yet soft, green and full of juice, incisions are made in them, and from every one of these a few drops flow of a milky juice, which soon hardens into a solid consistence. These drops are gathered with great care, and the finest opium proceeds from the first incisions. In the countries where opium is produced, multitudes are employed in preparing it with water, honey and spices, and working it up into cakes; but what we generally have is the mere crude juice, or at most worked up with water, or a small quantity of honey sufficient to bring it into form. The ancients were greatly divided about the virtues and use of opium; some calling it a poison, and others the greatest of all medicines. At present it is in high esteem, and externally applied it is emollient, relaxing and discutient, and greatly promotes suppuration. A moderate dose of opium taken internally, is generally under a grain, yet custom will make people bear a dram as a moderate dose; but in that case nature is vitiated. Its first effect is the making the patient cheerful, as if he had drank moderately of wine; it removes melancholy, excites boldness, and dissipates the dread of danger; and for this reason the Turks always take it when they are going to battle in a larger dose than ordinary: it afterward quiets the spirits, eases pain, and disposes to sleep. After the effect of a dose of opium is over, the pain generally returns in a more violent manner; the spirits, which had been elevated by it, become lower than before, and the pulse languid. An immoderate dose of opium brings on a sort of drunkenness, cheerfulness and loud laughter, at first, and, after many terrible symptoms, death itself. Those who have accustomed themselves to an immoderate use of opium, are subject to relaxations and weaknesses of all the parts of the body; they are apt to be faint, idle and thoughtless, and are generally in a stupid and uncomfortable state, except just after they have taken a fresh dose: they lose their appetite, and in fine grow old before their time. Hill.

   Sleep hath forsook and giv’n me o’er
   To death’s benumbing opium as my only cure. John Milton.

   The colour and taste of opium are, as well as its soporific or anodyne virtues, mere powers depending on its primary qualities, whereby it is fitted to produce different operations on different parts of our bodies. John Locke.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. opium

   Opium is a highly addictive narcotic drug derived from the dried latex found in the seed pods of the opium poppy plant, scientifically known as Papaver Somniferum. It contains several alkaloids, including morphine and codeine, which are used medically for pain relief but can also produce a state of euphoria and sedation. Due to its addictive nature and harmful effects on health, its recreational usage is illegal in many parts of the world.

WikidataRate this definition:2.0 / 1 vote

1. Opium

   Opium is the dried latex obtained from the opium poppy. Opium contains approximately 12% morphine, an alkaloid, which is frequently processed chemically to produce heroin for the illegal drug trade. The latex also includes the alkaloid codeine and its similarly structured cousin thebaine. It also contains the non-analgesic producing alkaloids such as papaverine and noscapine. The traditional, labor-intensive, method of obtaining the latex is to scratch the immature seed pods by hand; the latex leaks out and dries to a sticky yellowish residue that is later scraped off, and dehydrated. The word "meconium" historically referred to related, weaker preparations made from other parts of the poppy or different species of poppies. The production of opium itself has not changed since ancient times. Through selective breeding of the Papaver somniferum plant, the content of the phenanthrene alkaloids morphine, codeine, and to a lesser extent thebaine, has been greatly increased. In modern times, much of the thebaine, which often serves as the raw material for the synthesis for hydrocodone, hydromorphone, and other semi-synthetic opiates, originates from extracting Papaver orientale or Papaver bracteatum.

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Opium

   ō′pi-um, n. the narcotic juice of the white poppy.—n. O′pium-eat′er, one who makes a habitual use of opium. [L.,—Gr. opion, dim. from opos, sap.]

U.S. National Library of MedicineRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Opium

   The air-dried exudate from the unripe seed capsule of the opium poppy, Papaver somniferum, or its variant, P. album. It contains a number of alkaloids, but only a few - MORPHINE; CODEINE; and PAPAVERINE - have clinical significance. Opium has been used as an analgesic, antitussive, antidiarrheal, and antispasmodic.

The Foolish Dictionary, by Gideon WurdzRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. OPIUM

   The real author of "The Dream Book."

Matched Categories

1. • Controlled Substance
   • Narcotic

How to pronounce Opium?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say Opium in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of Opium in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of Opium in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of Opium in a Sentence

1. James Hong:

   I read the script, I said,' This is terrible,' all the roles were the opium dope people and the prostitutes and so forth.

2. Antonin Artaud:

   It is not opium which makes me work but its absence, and in order for me to feel its absence it must from time to time be present.

3. Tom Carter:

   A peek inside the city's many nightspots reveals a Shangri-La-di-da of tiny Shanghai socialites in even tinier outfits dancing provocatively with well-to-do Westerners. But while such sights may draw gasps from some people, the truth is that this kind of thing is nothing new for Shanghai, the Orient's original opium-den of iniquity.

4. Albert Einstein:

   The fanatical atheists...are like slaves who are still feeling the weight of their chains which they have thrown off after hard struggle. They are creatures who—in their grudge against the traditional 'opium of the people'—cannot bear the music of the spheres.

5. Taj Mohammad Jahid:

   Overall (opium) is a point of concern ... for all Afghans, but the government will fight against it, we are not concerned about small groups like the Taliban or Daish, who hide themselves in mountains or caves. We will fight to the last drop of blood against those who are against our law and people.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=Opium
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Opium
3. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=Opium
4. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
5. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=Opium
6. ^ Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
   https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37683/37683-h/37683-h.htm#:~:text=Opium
7. ^ The Foolish Dictionary, by Gideon Wurdz
   https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/1989/pg1989-images.html#:~:text=Opium