Cathartic

Cathartic
Cathartic Ca*thar"tic, n. [Gr. ?.] (Med.) A medicine that promotes alvine discharges; a purge; a purgative of moderate activity. [1913 Webster]

Note: The cathartics are more energetic and certain in action that the laxatives, which simply increase the tendency to alvine evacuation; and less powerful and irritaint that the drastic purges, which cause profuse, repeated, and watery evacuations. -- {Ca*thar"tic*al*ly}, adv. -- {Ca*thar"tic*al*ness}, n. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • cathartic — CÁTHARTIC, Ă, cathartici, ce, adj. (lit.) Purificator. [Scris şi: catartic. – pr.: tar ] – Din fr. cathartique. Trimis de valeriu, 14.07.2006. Sursa: DEX 98  cathártic s. n., adj. m. (sil. thar ) [th …   Dicționar Român

  • Cathartic — Ca*thar tic, Catharical Ca*thar ic*al, a. [Gr. ?, fr. ? to cleanse, fr. ? pure; akin to F. chaste.] 1. (Med.) Cleansing the bowels; promoting evacuations by stool; purgative. [1913 Webster] 2. Of or pertaining to the purgative principle of senna …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • cathartic — (adj.) 1610s, of medicines, from L. catharticus, from Gk. kathartikos fit for cleansing, purgative, from katharsis purging, cleansing (see CATHARSIS (Cf. catharsis)). General sense is from 1670s …   Etymology dictionary

  • cathartic — [kə thär′tik] adj. [Gr kathartikos] of or effecting catharsis; purging: also cathartical n. [LL catharticum] a medicine for stimulating evacuation of the bowels; purgative SYN. PHYSIC …   English World dictionary

  • Cathartic — In medicine, a cathartic is a substance which accelerates defecation.This is in contrast to a laxative, which is a substance which eases defecation, usually by softening the stool. [MeshName|Cathartics] It is possible for a substance to be both a …   Wikipedia

  • cathartic — I. adjective Etymology: Late Latin or Greek; Late Latin catharticus, from Greek kathartikos, from kathairein Date: 1612 of, relating to, or producing catharsis < cathartic drugs > < a cathartic experience > • cathartically adverb II …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • cathartic — [[t]kəθɑ͟ː(r)tɪk[/t]] ADJ GRADED Something that is cathartic has the effect of catharsis. [FORMAL] His laughter was cathartic, an animal yelp that brought tears to his eyes. ...a liberating and cathartic experience …   English dictionary

  • cathartic — 1. Relating to catharsis. 2. An agent having purgative action. * * * ca·thar·tic kə thärt ik adj of, relating to, or producing catharsis cathartic n a cathartic medicine: PURGATIVE * * * n …   Medical dictionary

  • cathartic — ca|thar|tic [kəˈθa:tık US a:r ] adj formal helping you to remove strong or violent emotions ▪ a cathartic experience …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • cathartic — catharsis ► NOUN ▪ the release of pent up emotions, for example through drama. DERIVATIVES cathartic adjective & noun. ORIGIN Greek katharsis, from kathairein cleanse …   English terms dictionary

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