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 The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Prescribe \Pre*scribe"\, verb (used without an object)
1. To give directions; to dictate.
A forwardness to prescribe to their opinions. --Locke.
2. To influence by long use [Obs.] --Sir T. Browne.
3. (Med.) To write or to give medical directions; to indicate remedies; as, to prescribe for a patient in a fever.
4. (Law) To claim by prescription; to claim a title to a thing on the ground of immemorial use and enjoyment, that is, by a custom having the force of law.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
verb
1: issue commands or orders for [syn: {order}, {dictate}]
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
103 Moby Thesaurus words for "prescribe": administer, advise, advocate, apply, appoint, assign, authorize, be responsible for, bestow, brief, call the signals, captain, carry on, choose, coach, command, conduct, confer, constitute, constrain, consult with, control, counsel, cure, decide, declare lawful, decree, define, demand, determine, dictate, direct, dose, dose with, enact, enforce upon, engineer, enjoin, establish, exact, fix, force, force upon, formulate, give, govern, guide, handle, head, head up, impose, instruct, kibitz, lay down, lay on, lead, lead on, legalize, legislate, legitimate, legitimatize, legitimize, make a regulation, make legal, make obligatory, make the rules, manage, maneuver, manipulate, mastermind, meddle, mete out to, officer, ordain, order, pick out, prescribe for, propose, pull the strings, put in force, put on, put upon, quarterback, recommend, regulate, remedy, require, rule, run, sanction, select, set, set down, settle, skipper, specify, stipulate, submit, suggest, take command, take the lead, treat, validate
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