opium

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: o=pi=um

CIDE DICTIONARY

opium, n. [L., fr. Gr. poppy juice, dim. of vegetable juice.].

 The inspissated juice of the Papaver somniferum, or white poppy.  [1913 Webster]
" Opium is obtained from incisions made in the capsules of the plant, and the best flows from the first incision. It is imported into Europe and America chiefly from the Levant, and large quantities are sent to China from India, Persia, and other countries. It is of a brownish yellow color, has a faint smell, and bitter and acrid taste. It is a stimulant narcotic poison, which may produce hallicinations, profound sleep, or death. It is much used in medicine to soothe pain and inflammation, and is smoked as an intoxicant with baneful effects."  [1913 Webster]

Opium joint, a low resort of opium smokers. [Slang]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

opium, n.
1 a reddish-brown heavy-scented addictive drug prepared from the juice of the opium poppy, used in medicine as an analgesic and narcotic.
2 anything regarded as soothing or stupefying.

Idiom

opium den a haunt of opium-smokers. opium poppy a poppy, Papaver somniferum, native to Europe and E. Asia, with white, red, pink, or purple flowers.

Etymology

ME f. L f. Gk opion poppy-juice f. opos juice

THESAURUS

opium

Amytal, Amytal pill, Demerol, Dolophine, H, Luminal, Luminal pill, M, Mickey Finn, Nembutal, Nembutal pill, Seconal, Seconal pill, Tuinal, Tuinal pill, alcohol, amobarbital sodium, analgesic, anesthetic, anodyne, barb, barbiturate, barbiturate pill, black stuff, blue, blue angel, blue devil, blue heaven, blue velvet, calmative, chloral hydrate, codeine, codeine cough syrup, depressant, depressor, dolly, downer, goofball, hard stuff, heroin, hop, horse, hypnotic, junk, knockout drops, laudanum, liquor, lotus, lullaby, mandrake, meperidine, methadone, morphia, morphine, narcotic, nightcap, opiate, pacifier, pain killer, paregoric, pen yan, phenobarbital, phenobarbital sodium, poppy, purple heart, quietener, rainbow, red, scag, secobarbital sodium, sedative, shit, sleep-bringer, sleep-inducer, sleep-producer, sleeper, sleeping draught, sleeping pill, smack, sodium thiopental, somnifacient, soother, soothing syrup, soporific, tar, tranquilizer, turps, white stuff, yellow, yellow jacket

ROGET THESAURUS

opium

Moderation

N moderation, lenity, temperateness, gentleness, sobriety, quiet, mental calmness, moderating, anaphrodisia, relaxation, remission, mitigation, tranquilization, assuagement, contemporation, pacification, measure, juste milieu, golden mean, ariston metron, moderator, lullaby, sedative, lenitive, demulcent, antispasmodic, carminative, laudanum, rose water, balm, poppy, opiate, anodyne, milk, opium, poppy or mandragora, wet blanket, palliative, moderate, lenient, gentle, mild, mellow, cool, sober, temperate, reasonable, measured, tempered, calm, unruffled, quiet, tranquil, still, slow, smooth, untroubled, tame, peaceful, peaceable, pacific, halcyon, unexciting, unirritating, soft, bland, oily, demulcent, lenitive, anodyne, hypnotic, sedative, antiorgastic, anaphrodisiac, mild as mother's milk, milk and water, moderately, gingerly, piano, under easy sail, at half speed, within bounds, within compass, in reason, est modue in rebus, pour oil on troubled waters.

Intemperance

N intemperance, sensuality, animalism, carnality, tragalism, pleasure, effeminacy, silkiness, luxury, luxuriousness, lap of pleasure, lap of luxury, free living, indulgence, high living, wild living, inabstinence, self- indulgence, voluptuousness, epicurism, epicureanism, sybaritism, drug habit, dissipation, licentiousness, debauchery, crapulence, revels, revelry, debauch, carousal, jollification, drinking bout, wassail, saturnalia, orgies, excess, too much, Circean cup, bhang, hashish, marijuana, pot, hemp, grass, opium, cocaine, morphine, heroin, LSD, lysergic acid diethylamide, phencyclidine, angel dust, PCP, barbiturates, amphetamines, speed, intemperate, inabstinent, sensual, self-indulgent, voluptuous, luxurious, licentious, wild, dissolute, rakish, fast, debauched, brutish, crapulous, swinish, piggish, Paphian, Epicurean, Sybaritical, bred in the lap of luxury, nursed in the lap of luxury, indulged, pampered, full-fed, high-fed, being full of supper and distempering draughts.

Physical Insensibility

N insensibility, physical insensibility, obtuseness, palsy, paralysis, paraesthesia, anaesthesia, sleep, hemiplegia, motor paralysis, vegetable state, coma, anaesthetic agent, opium, ether, chloroform, chloral, nitrous oxide, laughing gas, exhilarating gas, protoxide of nitrogen, refrigeration, insensible, unfeeling, senseless, impercipient, callous, thick- skinned, pachydermatous, hard, hardened, case hardened, proof, obtuse, dull, anaesthetic, comatose, paralytic, palsied, numb, dead.