prescribing

3 definitions • 5 examples

present participle of

(of a doctor) to say what medical treatment someone should have:

The drug is often prescribed for ulcers.

[ + two objects ] I've been prescribed painkillers.

to tell someone what they must have or do, or to make a rule of something:

Penalties for not paying taxes are prescribed by law.

[ + that ] The law prescribes that all children must go to school.

[ + question word ] Grammatical rules prescribe how words may be used together.