Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

prescription

 noun
     
NEW! See related topics: DRUGS, MEDICINESHOSPITALILLNESS AND DISABILITYNURSES, DOCTORS, ETC
pre‧scrip‧tion [countable]
1MHMD a piece of paper on which a doctor writes what medicine a sick person should have, so that they can get it from a pharmacist [↪ prescribe]
prescription for
a prescription for sleeping pills
We are trying to cut the price of prescription drugs.
a repeat prescription (=one that you have regularly)
fill a prescription American English (=get the drugs a doctor has written that you need)
I got the prescription filled on the way home.
2MHMD a particular medicine or treatment ordered by a doctor for a sick person:
If you're pregnant, you can get free prescriptions.
3

on prescription

British English, by prescription American EnglishMD a drug that you get on prescription can only be obtained with a written order from the doctor [↪ over the counter]
4 an idea or suggestion about how you should behave, or how to make a situation, activity etc successful
prescription for
The party's main prescription for educational problems was to give schools more money.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.
 
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