physic

/'fizik/

Thân thiện

A doctor prescribed a gentle physic for the patient.

Definition

Noun: 1. A medicine, especially a purgative or laxative: A substance, typically taken orally, used to stimulate the evacuation of the bowels. This is an archaic or historical term for a medicinal preparation intended to cleanse or purge the body.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The 18th-century doctor prescribed a strong physic to treat the patient's ailment.
  • In historical novels, characters are often given a bitter physic to cure various illnesses.

Advanced Usage

• "A dose of physic": A common historical phrase referring to a single measured amount of such medicine.
  • The apothecary prepared a dose of physic for the ailing lord.

Variants and Related Words

• Physician (n): A medical doctor; a person qualified to practice medicine. This modern word shares the same root as , relating to the art of healing.
  • She visited a physician for her annual check-up.

Synonyms

• Purgative: A substance that causes evacuation of the bowels.
• Laxative: A medicine that facilitates bowel movements.
• Cathartic: A substance that accelerates defecation; also used figuratively for emotional release.
• Medicine (archaic/general): A substance used for medical treatment.

Notes on Usage

• The word physic is now considered archaic and is rarely used in modern medical or everyday contexts. It is primarily encountered in historical texts, literature, or discussions of medical history. The more common contemporary terms are laxative, purgative, or simply medicine.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a purging medicine; stimulates evacuation of the bowels

Từ đồng nghĩa

• purgative
• cathartic
• aperient