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Drug

1. Any animal, vegetable, or mineral substance used in the composition of medicines; any stuff used in dyeing or in chemical operations. Whence merchants bring Their spicy drugs.

2. Any commodity that lies on hand, or is not salable; an article of slow sale, or in no demand. But sermons are mere drugs. And virtue shall a drug become. (Dryden)

Origin: f. Drogue, prob. Fr. D. Droog; akin to E. Dry; thus orig, dry substance, hers, plants, or wares. See dry.

to prescribe or administer drugs or medicines.

Origin: cf. F. Droguer. A substance that is used as a medicine or narcotic.Substances that are capable of altering natural biological processes, with their manipulating nature used in medicine as a corrective measure against deviances from these normal biological processes.