drug: Meaning and Definition of

drug

Pronunciation: (drug), [key]
— n., v., drugged, drug•ging.
—n.
  1. a chemical substance used in the treatment, cure, prevention, or diagnosis of disease or used to otherwise enhance physical or mental well-being.
  2. (in federal law)
    1. any substance recognized in the official pharmacopoeia or formulary of the nation.
    2. any substance intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease in humans or other animals.
    3. any article, other than food, intended to affect the structure or any function of the body of humans or other animals.
    4. any substance intended for use as a component of such a drug, but not a device or a part of a device.
  3. a habit-forming medicinal or illicit substance, esp. a narcotic.
    1. chemical substances prepared and sold as pharmaceutical items, either by prescription or over the counter.
    2. personal hygienic items sold in a drugstore, as toothpaste, mouthwash, etc.
  4. any ingredient used in chemistry, pharmacy, dyeing, or the like.
  5. a commodity that is overabundant or in excess of demand in the market.
—v.t.
  1. to administer a medicinal drug to.
  2. to stupefy or poison with a drug.
  3. to mix (food or drink) with a drug, esp. a stupefying, narcotic, or poisonous drug.
  4. to administer anything nauseous to.
—v.i.
  1. to take a narcotic drug: The addict prowled about for a place to drug up.

drug

Pronunciation: (drug), [key]
— v. Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S. Nonstandard.
  1. a pt. and pp. of

Drug

Pronunciation: (droog), [key]
— n. Zoroastrianism.
  1. the cosmic principle of disorder and falsehood. Cf. Asha.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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