Definition of "medicine" in Anglais

noun

1. (uncountable, countable) A substance which specifically promotes healing when ingested or consumed in some way; a pharmaceutical drug.

   • This medicine has fewer adverse effects than others in its drug class.
   • Using a weekly pill organizer is a good way to help remind yourself to take your medicine each day, and it also tells you whether you already took today's pills (it's not unusual to forget doing a habitual task)!

2. (loosely, countable) Any treatment or cure.

   • A legislative remedy might be some harsh medicine; is that cure worse than the ill?

3. (uncountable) The study of the cause, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of disease or illness.

   • She's studying medicine at university because she wants to be a doctor in the future.

4. (uncountable) The profession and practice of physicians, including surgeons.

   • The history of medicine can be discretized into eras with differing relationships between physicians and surgeons

5. (uncountable) Ritual magic used, as by a medicine man, to promote a desired outcome in healing, hunting, or warfare; traditional medicine.

6. Among the Native Americans, any object supposed to give control over natural or magical forces, to act as a protective charm, or to cause healing.

7. (obsolete) Black magic, superstition.

8. (obsolete) A philter or love potion.

9. (obsolete) A physician.

10. (slang) Recreational drugs, especially alcoholic drinks.

verb

1. (rare, obsolete) To treat with medicine.