Well-read · Commonly confused · Body & health
Prescribe: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Prescribe verb. To recommend a medicine or treatment, or to lay down officially what must be done.
How to say it
prih-SKRIBE/prɪˈskrʌɪb/
2 syllables, stressed on the second (SKRIBE). Forms: prescribed.
Prescribe in a sentence
The doctor prescribed antibiotics and a week of rest.
The rules prescribe exactly how the flag must be folded.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- order
- dictate
- stipulate
- recommend
Opposite:
- forbid
- proscribe
Usage note
Prescribe means order or recommend; proscribe means forbid. They're close to opposites, so a slip can reverse your meaning.
Don’t confuse with proscribe
proscribe (verb): To forbid or ban something officially.
Where prescribe comes from
From Latin praescribere, to write beforehand, to direct.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
The rules _____ exactly how the flag must be folded.
- prescribe
- mitigate
- militate
Show the answer
prescribe: The rules prescribe exactly how the flag must be folded.