prescribe
verb
pre·scribe
| \ pri-ˈskrīb
\
\
prescribed;
prescribing
Definition of prescribe
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
1a
: 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
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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.
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Recent Examples on the Web
Vets will prescribe medicine to help manage the immediate pain. — Ilana Halperin, The Conversation, "Curious Kids: How are cats declawed, and is it painful?," 30 July 2019 The stone is an ametrine from a gem healer in India that was prescribed for me. — Lulu Graham, Harper's BAZAAR, "Outfit Dissecting with Tracy Georgiou," 17 July 2019 At 13 she was prescribed pain pills after a back surgery. — Aubrey Whelan, https://www.inquirer.com, "Two friends shared heroin in a KFC bathroom. One died, one went to prison. Their families are picking up the pieces.," 6 June 2019 Hearing aids were prescribed, which helped to amplify sounds but weren’t a complete remedy. — The New York Review of Books, "Jerome Groopman," 21 Mar. 2019 Grieving, Arteaga went to her local Walgreens in Peoria on Thursday to pick up medication prescribed by a doctor to manage her health and the miscarriage by terminating the pregnancy. — azcentral, "Walgreens pharmacist in Peoria denies mother miscarriage medicine because of moral objection," 23 June 2018 For a number of reasons, health care professionals may be afraid to prescribe them, and patients may be afraid to take them. — Derek Mcginni, Harper's magazine, "Junk Science," 22 July 2019 Maybe across the borderline, because going off label meant getting doctors to prescribe a drug for conditions other than the ones for which the drug was intended. — Salman Rushdie, The New Yorker, "The Little King," 22 July 2019 The fact that every patron is a potential alchemist leads many restaurants to prescribe precise directions for consumption through their plating style or the server’s table-side instructions. — Ali Bouzari, SFChronicle.com, "Housemade: The science behind a feast of flavor pairings at Kismet in Los Angeles," 12 July 2019These 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.
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More Definitions for prescribe
prescribe
verb
English Language Learners Definition of prescribe
: to officially tell someone to use (a medicine, therapy, diet, etc.) as a remedy or treatment
: to make (something) an official rule
See the full definition for prescribe in the English Language Learners Dictionary
prescribe
verb
pre·scribe
| \ pri-ˈskrīb
\
\
prescribed;
prescribing
Kids Definition of prescribe
1
: to order or direct the use of as a remedy
Did the doctor prescribe medicine?
2
: to lay down as a rule of action : order
School rules prescribe daily physical activity.
prescribe
verb
pre·scribe
| \ pri-ˈskrīb
\
\
prescribed;
prescribing
Medical Definition of prescribe
: to write or give medical prescriptions
: to designate or order the use of as a remedy
prescribe a drug
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