medicine

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. The science of diagnosing, treating, or preventing disease and other damage to the body or mind.
2. n. The branch of this science encompassing treatment by drugs, diet, exercise, and other nonsurgical means.
3. n. The practice of medicine.
4. n. An agent, such as a drug, used to treat disease or injury.
5. n. Something that serves as a remedy or corrective: medicine for rebuilding the economy; measures that were harsh medicine.
6. n. Shamanistic practices or beliefs, especially among Native Americans.
7. n. Something, such as a ritual practice or sacred object, believed to control natural or supernatural powers or serve as a preventive or remedy.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A substance used as a remedy for disease; a substance having or supposed to have curative properties; hence, figuratively, anything that has a curative or remedial effect.
2. n. The art of preventing, curing, or alleviating diseases and remedying as far as possible the results of violence and accident. Practical medicine is divided into medicine in a stricter sense, surgery, and obstetrics. These rest largely on the sciences of anatomy and physiology, normal and pathological pharmacology, and bacteriology, which, having practical relations almost exclusively with medicine, are called the medical sciences and form distinct parts of that art. Abbreviated medicine
3. n. Something which is supposed to possess curative, supernatural, or mysterious power; any object used or any ceremony performed as a charm: an English equivalent for terms used among American Indians and other savage tribes.
4. n. A physician.
5. To treat or affect medicinally; work upon or cure by or as if by medicine.

Wiktionary

1. n. A substance which specifically promotes healing when ingested or consumed in some way.
2. n. A treatment or cure.
3. n. The study of the cause, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of disease or illness.
4. n. The profession of physicians, surgeons and related specialisms; those who practice medicine.
5. n. Ritual Native American magic used (notably by a medicine man) to promote a desired outcome in healing, hunting, warfare etc.
6. n. obsolete black magic, superstition.
7. v. rare, obsolete To treat with medicine.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. The science which relates to the prevention, cure, or alleviation of disease.
2. n. Any substance administered in the treatment of disease; a remedial agent; a medication; a medicament; a remedy; physic.
3. n. obsolete A philter or love potion.
4. n. obsolete A physician.
5. n. Among the North American Indians, any object supposed to give control over natural or magical forces, to act as a protective charm, or to cause healing; also, magical power itself; the potency which a charm, token, or rite is supposed to exert.
6. n. Hence, a similar object or agency among other savages.
7. n. Short for Medicine man.
8. n. Slang Intoxicating liquor; drink.
9. v. To give medicine to; to affect as a medicine does; to remedy; to cure.

WordNet 3.0

1. v. treat medicinally, treat with medicine
2. n. the branches of medical science that deal with nonsurgical techniques
3. n. the learned profession that is mastered by graduate training in a medical school and that is devoted to preventing or alleviating or curing diseases and injuries
4. n. punishment for one's actions
5. n. (medicine) something that treats or prevents or alleviates the symptoms of disease