Prescribe definitions

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

PRESCRI'BE, v.t. [L. proescribo, to write before.]
1. In medicine, to direct, as a remedy to be used or applied to a diseased patient. Be not offended with the physician who prescribes harsh remedies.
2. To set or lay down authoritatively for direction; to give as a rule of conduct; as, to prescribe laws or rules.
There's joy, when to wild will you laws prescribe.
3. To direct.
Let streams prescribe their fountains where to run.
PRESCRI'BE, v.i. To write or give medical directions; to direct what remedies are to be used; as, to prescribe for a patient in a fever.
1. To give law; to influence arbitrarily.
A forwardness to prescribe to the opinions of others.
2. In law, to claim by prescription; to claim a title to a thing by immemorial use and enjoyment; with for. A man may be allowed to prescribe for a right of way, a common or the like; a man cannot prescribe for a castle; he can prescribe only for incorporeal hereditaments.
3. To influence by long use.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: issue commands or orders for [syn: order, prescribe, dictate]

Merriam Webster's

verb (prescribed; prescribing) Etymology: Middle English, from Latin praescribere to write at the beginning, dictate, order, from prae- + scribere to write — more at scribe Date: 15th century 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 1. a. to lay down as a guide, direction, or rule of action ; ordain b. 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 noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v. 1 tr. a advise the use of (a medicine etc.), esp. by an authorized prescription. b recommend, esp. as a benefit (prescribed a change of scenery). 2 tr. lay down or impose authoritatively. 3 intr. (foll. by to, for) assert a prescriptive right or claim. Derivatives: prescriber n. Etymology: L praescribere praescript- direct in writing (as PRAE-, scribere write)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Prescribe Pre*scribe", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prescribed; p. pr & vb. n. Prescribing.] [L. praescribere, praescriptum; prae before + scriebe to write. See Scribe.] 1. To lay down authoritatively as a guide, direction, or rule of action; to impose as a peremptory order; to dictate; to appoint; to direct. Prescribe not us our duties. --Shak. Let streams prescribe their fountains where to run. --Dryden. 2. (Med.) To direct, as a remedy to be used by a patient; as, the doctor prescribed quinine. Syn: To appoint; order; command; dictate; ordain; institute; establish.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Prescribe Pre*scribe", v. i. 1. To give directions; to dictate. A forwardness to prescribe to their opinions. --Locke. 2. To influence by long use [Obs.] --Sir T. Browne. 3. (Med.) To write or to give medical directions; to indicate remedies; as, to prescribe for a patient in a fever. 4. (Law) To claim by prescription; to claim a title to a thing on the ground of immemorial use and enjoyment, that is, by a custom having the force of law.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(prescribes, prescribing, prescribed) 1. If a doctor prescribes medicine or treatment for you, he or she tells you what medicine or treatment to have. Our doctor diagnosed a throat infection and prescribed antibiotic and junior aspirin... She took twice the prescribed dose of sleeping tablets... The law allows doctors to prescribe contraception to the under 16s. VERB: V n, V-ed, V n to n 2. If a person or set of laws or rules prescribes an action or duty, they state that it must be carried out. (FORMAL) ...article II of the constitution, which prescribes the method of electing a president... Alliott told Singleton he was passing the sentence prescribed by law. VERB: V n, V-ed

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

v. a. Direct, order, appoint, command, ordain, dictate, enjoin, decree, institute, establish.

Moby Thesaurus

administer, advise, advocate, apply, appoint, assign, authorize, be responsible for, bestow, brief, call the signals, captain, carry on, choose, coach, command, conduct, confer, constitute, constrain, consult with, control, counsel, cure, decide, declare lawful, decree, define, demand, determine, dictate, direct, dose, dose with, enact, enforce upon, engineer, enjoin, establish, exact, fix, force, force upon, formulate, give, govern, guide, handle, head, head up, impose, instruct, kibitz, lay down, lay on, lead, lead on, legalize, legislate, legitimate, legitimatize, legitimize, make a regulation, make legal, make obligatory, make the rules, manage, maneuver, manipulate, mastermind, meddle, mete out to, officer, ordain, order, pick out, prescribe for, propose, pull the strings, put in force, put on, put upon, quarterback, recommend, regulate, remedy, require, rule, run, sanction, select, set, set down, settle, skipper, specify, stipulate, submit, suggest, take command, take the lead, treat, validate