prescribe

To prescribe is to make a rule, or a doctor recommending and giving official permission for a course of treatment.

(verb)

When the legislature passes a law mandating that everyone recycle, this is an example of when the legislature prescribes recycling.
When a doctor determines you need antibiotics and gives you an official signed authorization that you take to the pharmacist to pick up the antibiotics, this is an example of when the doctor prescribes antibiotics.

See prescribe in Webster's New World College Dictionary

Origin: L praescribere < prae-, before + scribere, to write: see pre- & scribe

intransitive verb

to set down or impose rules; dictate
to give medical advice or prescriptions
Law
1. to claim a right or title through long use or possession
2. to become invalidated or outlawed by negative prescription

Related Forms:

See prescribe in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb pre·scribed, pre·scrib·ing, pre·scribes

verb, transitive

verb, intransitive

To establish rules, laws, or directions.
To order a medicine or other treatment.
Law
a. To assert a right or title to something on the grounds of prescription.
b. To become invalidated or unenforceable by the process of prescription.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English prescriben

Origin: , from Latin praescrībere

Origin: : prae-, pre-

Origin: + scrībere, to write; see skrībh- in Indo-European roots

Related Forms: