prescribe
Meaning: To lay down a rule, course of action, or treatment as authoritative; in medicine, to recommend and authorise the use of a particular drug or remedy.
Prescribe operates across medical, legal, and general domains. Doctors prescribe medication; laws prescribe penalties; regulations prescribe procedures. It is crucial not to confuse 'prescribe' (to recommend or dictate) with 'proscribe' (to prohibit) — a common error even among educated speakers. The prescribed form implies authority and obligation.
Examples
- The GP prescribed a course of antibiotics and advised the patient to rest for at least a week. 全科医生开了一个疗程的抗生素,并建议患者至少休息一周。El médico de cabecera prescribió un ciclo de antibióticos y aconsejó al paciente reposo durante al menos una semana.かかりつけ医は抗生物質の投与コースを処方し、少なくとも1週間の安静を勧めた。주치의는 항생제 처방을 내리고 최소 1주간의 안정을 권고했다.
- The regulations prescribe strict limits on the amount of overtime that junior doctors may be required to work. 法规对初级医生可被要求加班的时数规定了严格的限制。La normativa prescribe límites estrictos a la cantidad de horas extraordinarias que se puede exigir a los médicos residentes.規則は研修医に要求してよい残業時間に厳格な上限を定めている。규정은 전공의에게 요구할 수 있는 초과 근무 시간에 엄격한 한도를 정하고 있다.
- Critics argue that the curriculum prescribes a narrow range of texts that fails to reflect the diversity of contemporary Britain. 批评者认为该课程规定了狭窄的选文范围,未能反映当代英国的多样性。Los críticos sostienen que el plan de estudios prescribe una gama limitada de textos que no refleja la diversidad de la Gran Bretaña contemporánea.批評家たちは、そのカリキュラムが規定するテキストの範囲は狭く、現代イギリスの多様性を反映していないと主張している。비평가들은 그 교육과정이 규정하는 텍스트의 범위가 좁아 현대 영국의 다양성을 반영하지 못한다고 주장한다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: medical, legal, academic
Tone: neutral
Origin & History
From Latin praescribere (to write beforehand, to dictate), from prae- (before) + scribere (to write). Entered English in the 15th century.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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