From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Prescribe \Pre*scribe"\, verb (used with an object) [imp. & p. p. {Prescribed}; p. pr & vb. n. {Prescribing}.] [L. praescribere, praescriptum; prae before + scriebe to write. See {Scribe}.]
1. To lay down authoritatively as a guide, direction, or rule of action; to impose as a peremptory order; to dictate; to appoint; to direct.
Prescribe not us our duties. --Shak.
Let streams prescribe their fountains where to run. --Dryden.
2. (Med.) To direct, as a remedy to be used by a patient; as, the doctor prescribed quinine.
Syn: To appoint; order; command; dictate; ordain; institute; establish.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
adjective
1: set down as a rule or guide
2: fixed or established especially by order or command; "at the time appointed (or the appointed time") [syn: {appointed}, {decreed}, {ordained}]
3: conforming to set usage, procedure, or discipline; "in prescribed order" [syn: {official}]
4: formally laid down or imposed; "positive laws" [syn: {positive}]
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
58 Moby Thesaurus words for "prescribed": accepted, authoritative, binding, bound, bounded, canonical, conditioned, confined, conformable, consuetudinary, conventional, copyrighted, cramped, current, customary, dictated, didactic, disciplined, established, everyday, familiar, finite, formulary, generally accepted, hard and fast, instructive, limited, mandatory, moderated, narrow, normal, obtaining, official, ordinary, patented, popular, preceptive, prescript, prescriptive, prevalent, proscribed, qualified, received, regular, regulation, restricted, rubric, set, standard, statutory, stock, strait, straitened, time-honored, traditional, usual, widespread, wonted
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