What does prescribe mean?

Definitions for prescribe
prɪˈskraɪbpre·scribe

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word prescribe.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. order, prescribe, dictateverb

    issue commands or orders for

Wiktionary

  1. prescribeverb

    To order (a drug or medical device) for use by a particular patient.

  2. prescribeverb

    To specify as a required procedure or ritual.

  3. Etymology: From praescribere, from prae and scribere.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. To PRESCRIBEverb

    Etymology: præscribo, Lat.

    Doth the strength of some negative arguments prove this kind of negative argument strong, by force whereof all things are denied, which scripture affirmeth not, or all things, which scripture prescribeth not, condemned. Richard Hooker.

    To the blanc moon her office they prescrib’d. John Milton.

    There’s joy, when to wild will you laws prescribe,
    When you bid fortune carry back her bribe. Dryden.

    When parents loves are order’d by a son,
    Let streams prescribe their fountains where to run. Dryden.

    The end of satire is the amendment of vices by correction; and he who writes honestly is no more an enemy to the offender, than the physician to the patient, when he prescribes harsh remedies. Dryden.

    The extremest ways they first ordain,
    Prescribing such intolerable pain,
    As none but Cæsar could sustain. Dryden.

    By a short account of the pressing obligations which lie on the magistrate, I shall not so much prescribe directions for the future, as praise what is past. Francis Atterbury.

    Should any man argue, that a physician understands his own art best; and therefore, although he should prescribe poison to all his patients, he cannot be justly punished, but is answerable only to God. Jonathan Swift.

  2. To Prescribeverb

    A reserve of puerility we have not shaken off from school, where being seasoned with minor sentences, they prescribe upon our riper years, and never are worn out but with our memories. Thomas Browne, Vulgar Errours.

    The assuming an authority of dictating to others, and a forwardness to prescribe to their opinions, is a constant concomitant of this biass of our judgments. John Locke.

    That obligation upon the lands did not prescribe or come into disuse, but by fifty consecutive years of exemption. Arb.

    Modern ’pothecaries, taught the art
    By doctor’s bills to play the doctor’s part,
    Bold in the practice of mistaken rules,
    Prescribe, apply, and call their masters fools. Alexander Pope.

ChatGPT

  1. prescribe

    To prescribe is to officially instruct or recommend a course of action or treatment, typically related to medicine, health, or law. It can also refer to establishing a rule, guideline, or direction to be followed. It often involves an authoritative figure, such as a doctor or a professional, providing advice or direction based on their expertise.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Prescribeverb

    to lay down authoritatively as a guide, direction, or rule of action; to impose as a peremptory order; to dictate; to appoint; to direct

  2. Prescribeverb

    to direct, as a remedy to be used by a patient; as, the doctor prescribed quinine

  3. Prescribeverb

    to give directions; to dictate

  4. Prescribeverb

    to influence by long use

  5. Prescribeverb

    to write or to give medical directions; to indicate remedies; as, to prescribe for a patient in a fever

  6. Prescribeverb

    to claim by prescription; to claim a title to a thing on the ground of immemorial use and enjoyment, that is, by a custom having the force of law

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Prescribe

    prē-skrīb′, v.t. to lay down as a rule or direction: to give as an order: to appoint: (med.) to give directions for, as a remedy: to render useless or invalid through lapse of time.—v.i. to lay down rules: to claim on account of long possession: to become of no force through time.—ns. Prēscrib′er; Prē′script, something prescribed: direction: model prescribed; Prēscriptibil′ity.—adj. Prēscrip′tible, that may be prescribed.—n. Prēscrip′tion, act of prescribing or directing: (med.) a written direction for the preparation of a medicine: a recipe: (law) custom continued until it becomes a right or has the force of law.—adj. Prēscrip′tive, consisting in, or acquired by, custom or long-continued use: customary.—Prescriptive title, a title established by right of prescription. [L. præscribĕre, -scriptumpræ, before, scribĕre, to write.]

Matched Categories

British National Corpus

  1. Verbs Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'prescribe' in Verbs Frequency: #962

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Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of prescribe in Chaldean Numerology is: 4

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of prescribe in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of prescribe in a Sentence

  1. Nicolas Martin, www.iatrogenic.org:

    The headline reads, Docs say patients make them prescribe useless antibiotics. This puts a physician in roughly the same predicament as a serial killer. The latter says, Stop me before I kill again, while the former says, Stop me before I prescribe again.

  2. Nicolas Martin, www.iatrogenic.org:

    The headline reads, "Docs say patients make them prescribe useless antibiotics." This puts a physician in roughly the same predicament as a serial killer. The latter says, "Stop me before I kill again, while the former says, "Stop me before I prescribe again."

  3. Eric Peacock:

    I really believe within about three to four years, when a person is diagnosed with a condition, your physician will prescribe a site like this.

  4. Erskine College:

    This statement describes a position. It does not prescribe a policy and does not ‘ban’ any individual or class of individuals from attending Erskine. No students have been asked to leave Erskine based on this statement.

  5. Plato:

    Just as it would be madness to settle on medical treatment for the body of a person by taking an opinion poll of the neighbors, so it is irrational to prescribe for the body politic by polling the opinions of the people at large.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

prescribe#10000#17529#100000

Translations for prescribe

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

  • وصفArabic
  • předepsatCzech
  • verschreiben, verordnen, vorschreibenGerman
  • prescribir, recetarSpanish
  • määrätä, säätääFinnish
  • prescrire, ordonnerFrench
  • előír, felírHungarian
  • menentukanIndonesian
  • 処方, 規定Japanese
  • tūtohu, tūtohiMāori
  • voorschrijvenDutch
  • ordenar, receitar, prescreverPortuguese
  • prescrieRomanian
  • назначать, предписать, устанавливать, назначить, прописывать, установить, предписывать, прописатьRussian
  • förskriva, skriva ut, ordineraSwedish

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"prescribe." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2023. Web. 29 Nov. 2023. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/prescribe>.

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