Definition of prescribe
prescribed
;prescribing
intransitive verb
1 : to lay down a rule : dictate
2 [Middle English, from Medieval Latin praescribere, from Latin, to write at the beginning] : to claim a title to something by right of prescription
3 : to write or give medical prescriptions
4 : to become by prescription invalid or unenforceable
transitive verb
1a : to lay down as a guide, direction, or rule of action : ordainb : to specify with authority
2 : to designate or order the use of as a remedy prescribed a painkiller a prescribed burn to restore natural forest conditions
prescriber
nounExplore Merriam-Webster
Examples of prescribe in a Sentence
This drug should not be prescribed to children.
a drug commonly prescribed to treat rashes
The doctor prescribed three months of physical therapy for my leg injury.
The law prescribes a prison sentence of at least five years for the crime.
The regulations prescribe that all employees must pass a physical examination.
We must follow the rules as prescribed by the government.
Recent Examples of prescribe from the Web
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Under a marketing strategy that Arthur Sackler had pioneered decades earlier, the company aggressively pressed doctors to prescribe the drug, wooing them with free trips to pain-management seminars and paid speaking engagements.
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In places where psychotherapy services are not readily available, doctors may be wary of prescribing it.
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Patients are prescribed buprenorphine/naloxone, also known as Suboxone.
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McCanna, 37, spent years hooked on powerful daily doses of opioids prescribed by her doctors for chronic joint pain.
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But after she was prescribed pain pills for a bulging disc in her back, Bishop became addicted.
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These are the drugs in medication abortion that U.S. law requires a doctor to prescribe despite the fact that women in Mexico are able to purchase them over the counter.
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Ask a veterinarian for help If your pet is spooked by loud noises, veterinarians can often prescribe medications and techniques that might help alleviate his or her fear and anxiety.
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Law enforcement used drug trafficking laws to jail doctors who over-prescribed.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'prescribe.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of prescribe
Middle English, from Latin praescribere to write at the beginning, dictate, order, from prae- + scribere to write — more at scribe
PRESCRIBE Defined for English Language Learners
prescribe
playDefinition of prescribe for English Language Learners
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: to officially tell someone to use (a medicine, therapy, diet, etc.) as a remedy or treatment
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: to make (something) an official rule
PRESCRIBE Defined for Kids
Medical Dictionary
prescribe
playMedical Definition of prescribe
prescribed
;prescribing
intransitive verb
: to write or give medical prescriptionstransitive verb
: to designate or order the use of as a remedy prescribe a drug
Law Dictionary
prescribe
playLegal Definition of prescribe
prescribed
prescribing
intransitive verb
1 : to claim title or a right to something (as an easement) by prescription a precarious possessor cannot prescribe against the owner
2 in the civil law of Louisiana : to become unenforceable or invalid by prescription any party having an interest in a money judgment may have it revived before it prescribes — Louisiana Civil Code
transitive verb
1 : to lay down as a rule or guide : specify with authority the times, places and manner of holding elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the legislature thereof — U.S. Constitution art. I
2 in the civil law of Louisiana : to invalidate or bar the enforcement of by prescription this claim for damages shall not be prescribed so long as the minor's right of action exists against his tutor — Louisiana Civil Code
Learn More about prescribe
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See words that rhyme with prescribe Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for prescribe Spanish Central: Translation of prescribe Nglish: Translation of prescribe for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of prescribe for Arabic speakers
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