Dictionary    Maps    Thesaurus    Translate    Advanced >   


Tip: Click Thesaurus above for synonyms. Also, follow synonym links within the dictionary to find definitions from other sources.

1. WordNet® 3.0 (2006)
nostrum
    n 1: hypothetical remedy for all ills or diseases; once sought
         by the alchemists [syn: panacea, nostrum, catholicon,
         cure-all]
    2: patent medicine whose efficacy is questionable

2. The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Nostrum \Nos"trum\ (-tr[u^]m), n.; pl. Nostrums (-tr[u^]mz).
   [Neut. sing. of L. noster ours, fr. nos we. See Us.]
   [1913 Webster]
   1. A medicine, the ingredients of which are kept secret for
      the purpose of restricting the profits of sale to the
      inventor or proprietor; a quack medicine.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Any scheme or device proposed by a quack.
      [1913 Webster]

            The incentives of agitators, the arts of impostors
            and the nostrums of quacks.           --Brougham.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. Any scheme asserted to solve a problem, but with no
      objective basis for belief in its effectiveness; esp., in
      politics, a scheme or proposal likely to prove popular
      with voters.
      [PJC]

Common Misspellings >
Most Popular Searches: Define Misanthrope, Define Pulchritudinous, Define Happy, Define Veracity, Define Cornucopia, Define Almuerzo, Define Atresic, Define URL, Definitions Of Words, Definition Of Get Up, Definition Of Quid Pro Quo, Definition Of Irreconcilable Differences, Definition Of Word, Synonyms of Repetitive, Synonym Dictionary, Synonym Antonyms. See our main index and map index for more details.

©2011-2024 ZebraWords.com - Define Yourself - The Search for Meanings and Meaning Means I Mean. All content subject to terms and conditions as set out here. Contact Us, peruse our Privacy Policy