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# prescribe

verb (prescribe, prescribes, prescribed, prescribing)

«prescribe» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. When a doctor prescribes a medicine, they say officially which medicine you should take, how much and how often. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/prescribe/#m1)
2. (formal) To say officially what must be done; to set a rule: The rules prescribe a uniform. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/prescribe/#m2)

### In the lessons

In health and safety lessons only a doctor can prescribe certain medicines, and you must never take medicine prescribed for someone else. In maths problems a doctor prescribes «2 tablets, 3 times a day for 5 days» — multiply: 2 × 3 × 5 = 30 tablets. In formal exam or rule language, «the prescribed method» means the method you are told to use. Phrases: «prescribe medicine», «prescribed dose», «as prescribed», «prescribed by law».

### Examples

- The doctor prescribed some cream for my rash. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/prescribe/#x1)
- Take the medicine exactly as prescribed. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/prescribe/#x2)
- She was prescribed 2 tablets a day for 7 days — how many tablets is that? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/prescribe/#x3)
- Never take medicine prescribed for someone else. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/prescribe/#x4)
- The vet prescribed drops for the cat's eyes. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/prescribe/#x5)
- The rules prescribe a time limit of one hour. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/prescribe/#x6)
- Use the prescribed method to solve the equation. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/prescribe/#x7)
- The doctor prescribed rest and plenty of water. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/prescribe/#x8)
- A Fox asked him, “How can you pretend to prescribe for others, when you are unable to heal your own lame gait and wrinkled skin?” [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/prescribe/#x9)

### Note

Regular verb: prescribed. Noun: prescription (the paper or order). Trap: prescribe (a doctor orders) vs proscribe (to forbid) — almost opposite. In dose problems: total = dose × times per day × number of days.

## In Jewish tradition

To prescribe is to set a rule. The king of Persia orders gifts for the Temple without setting a limit on salt.

**Interpretation.** Tradition sees the king's gift as God turning a ruler's heart to help rebuild the Temple.

### Examples

- unto a hundred talents of silver, and to a hundred measures of wheat, and to a hundred baths of wine, and to a hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much. (Writings EZR.7.22, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/P/prescribe/#x1)

### Note

Regular verb: prescribed. Noun: prescription (the paper or order). Trap: prescribe (a doctor orders) vs proscribe (to forbid) — almost opposite. In dose problems: total = dose × times per day × number of days.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «prescribe» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/prescribe/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«prescribe» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/prescribe.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «prescribe» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/P/prescribe/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«prescribe» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/prescribe.html) on Mova free.