cough-drop

A person unwraps a cough-drop to soothe their throat.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Medicated lozenge for cough relief: A "cough-drop" is a small, often sweetened tablet or lozenge that is dissolved in the mouth to soothe a sore throat or suppress coughing. It typically contains medicinal ingredients such as menthol, eucalyptus, or honey.

Usage Examples

• (Medicated lozenges for temporary relief.)
• (Using a lozenge to calm irritation.)

Advanced Usage

• "cough-drop wrapper": the paper or foil covering a single lozenge.
  • He crumpled the empty cough-drop wrapper and tossed it in the bin. (The packaging material.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cough-lozenge (n): an alternative term for "cough-drop", often used in medical contexts.

  • The pharmacist recommended a cough-lozenge containing honey and lemon. (A synonym for cough-drop.)

• Cough-syrup (n): a liquid medicine taken orally to relieve coughing, distinct from a solid lozenge.

  • He prefers cough-syrup over cough-drops because it works faster. (A related but different form of medication.)

Synonyms

• Lozenge: a small, medicated tablet to be dissolved in the mouth.
• Pastille: a small, round, sweetened tablet for soothing the throat.

Related Idioms

• "to be like a cough-drop in a storm": a rare, informal idiom meaning something insignificant or ineffective against a large problem.
  • His apology was like a cough-drop in a storm — it did little to calm the angry crowd. (An inadequate or trivial effort.)