physic
Relating to or concerning existent materials; physical.
Adjective
- Relating to or concerning existent materials; physical.
Origin
From Middle English phisik, from Latin physicus, from Ancient Greek φῠσῐκός (phŭsĭkós, “natural; physical”), from φύσις (phúsis, “origin, birth; nature, quality; form, shape; type, kind”), from φῠ́ω (phŭ́ō, “grow”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- (“to appear, become, rise up”).
Forms
Noun
- A medicine or drug, especially a cathartic or purgative.
- Harke yee Lords, you ſee I haue giuen her Phiſicke, / And you muſt needs beſtovv her Funerall, […] - c. 1588–1593 (date written), [William Shakespeare], The Most Lamentable Romaine Tragedie of Titus Andronicus: […]...
- I ſhould not thinke it ſtrange, for 'tis a phyſicke / That's bitter, to ſweet end. - c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies...
- Nor can thy shame give physic to my grief. - 1609, William Shakespeare, “Sonnet 34”, in Shake-speares Sonnets. […], London: By G[eorge] Eld for T[homas] T[horpe] and are to be sold by William Aspley, →OCLC:
- The art or profession of healing disease; medicine.
- ...and thus draw out all the unwholesome Air and Stench, which does more harm than any Physick can repair. - 1743, Stephen Hales, A Description of Ventilators, page xiii:
- Natural philosophy; physics.
- When I left Mr. Bates, I went down to my Father; where, by the Aſſiſtance of him and my Uncle John, and ſome other Relations, I got forty Pounds, and a Promiſe of thirty Pounds a year to maintain me at Leyden: there I...
- A physician.
- Desire is death, which physic did except. - 1609, William Shakespeare, “Sonnet 147”, in Shake-speares Sonnets. […], London: By G[eorge] Eld for T[homas] T[horpe] and are to be sold by William Aspley, →OCLC:
Origin
From Middle English fysike (noun) and phisiken, fisike (verb; from the noun), from Old French fisike (“natural science, art of healing”), from Latin physica (“study of nature”), from Ancient Greek φυσική (phusikḗ), feminine singular of φῠσῐκός (phŭsĭkós, “natural; physical”), see above.
Forms
Derived
Culver's physic metaphysic nonphysic otophysic physically physic finger physic garden physician physicism physicker physicky physic nut
Verb
- To cure or heal.
- Wouldſt thou not haue ſome Bulchin from the herd / To phyſicke thee of this venereall itch? - 1637, Tho[mas] Heywood, “Ivpiter and Io”, in Pleasant Dialogues and Dramma’s, Selected out of Lucian, Erasmus, Textor, Ovid,...
- To administer medicine to, especially a purgative.
- I will physic your rankness […] - c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and...
- When she had been a little girl - a very little girl - her mother had once cried at Anne in utter exasperation, "You're so contrary cheese'd physic ya!" - 1987, Stephen King, The Tommyknockers: