dope

[ dohp ]

/ doʊp /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR dope ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

any thick liquid or pasty preparation, as a lubricant, used in preparing a surface.

an absorbent material used to absorb and hold a liquid, as in the manufacture of dynamite.

Aeronautics.

any of various varnishlike products for coating a fabric, as of airplane wings, in order to make it waterproof, stronger, etc.
a similar product used to coat the fabric of a balloon to reduce gas leakage.

Slang.

any narcotic or narcoticlike drug taken to induce euphoria or satisfy addiction.
any illicit drug.

Slang. a narcotic, usually a steroid, given to an athlete to unfairly boost performance in a competition.

Slang. a narcotic preparation given surreptitiously to a horse to improve or retard its performance in a race.

Slang. information, data, or news: What's the latest dope on the strike?

Informal. a stupid or unresponsive person.

Southern U.S. (chiefly South Atlantic States ). soda pop, especially cola-flavored.

North Central U.S. (chiefly Ohio ). syrup used as a topping for ice cream.

verb (used with object), doped, dop·ing.

Slang. to affect with dope or drugs.

Slang. to give a narcotic to (an athlete) to unfairly boost performance in a competition.

to apply or treat with dope.

Electronics. to add or treat (a pure semiconductor) with a dopant.

verb (used without object), doped, dop·ing.

Slang. to take drugs.

Verb Phrases

dope out, Slang.

to figure out; calculate; devise: to dope out a plan.
to deduce or infer from available information: to dope out a solution to a problem.

Nearby words

dopa, dopamine, dopaminergic, dopant, dopatta, dope, dope addict, dope fiend, dope out, dope pusher, dope sheet

Origin of dope

1840–50; 1885–90 for def 4; 1900–05 for def 7; < Dutch doop (dial.) sauce, derivative of dopen to dip¹

Related formsun·doped, adjective

Regional variation note

9. See soda pop.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for dope

Soon cover versions were recorded by acts like Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Dope, and Rage Against the Machine.
A Brief History of the Phrase 'F*ck the Police'|Rich Goldstein|August 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Dope smokers find e-cigarettes and high-tech ‘mods’ are great for smoking in public, with less fear from cops and bouncers.
This Is Your E-Cigarette on Drugs|Daniel Genis|July 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
There are many more she used on the street while earning money to pay for dope.
Hallucinating Away a Heroin Addiction|Abby Haglage|May 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Narcotics cops immediately set to determining which dope dealers use those brand names.
Inside Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Apartment|Michael Daly|February 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST

He was gonna say, "Fine, look anywhere you want, you won't find any dope."
‘The Armstrong Lie,’ Alex Gibney’s Portrait of Lance as a Liar|Thomas Flynn|November 9, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The biographical sketch seemed to satisfy readers that they were getting their "dope" straight on Goldfield Consolidated.
My Adventures with Your Money|George Graham Rice
Might have once, when I was dead sure my dope on things in gen'ral was the only true dope.
Shorty McCabe on the Job|Sewell Ford
In consequence he had the chronic appearance of being full of dope.
In Africa|John T. McCutcheon
But our great creative efforts in raw materials were confined to spruce, fabric, and dope.
America's Munitions 1917-1918|Benedict Crowell
"I think we can take a chance now," Blash said to me, and at my nod, he opened the lid of his dope can.
Armageddon--2419 A.D.|Philip Francis Nowlan

British Dictionary definitions for dope

dope

/ (dəʊp) /

noun

any of a number of preparations made by dissolving cellulose derivatives in a volatile solvent, applied to fabric in order to improve strength, tautness, etc

an additive used to improve the properties of something, such as an antiknock compound added to petrol

a thick liquid, such as a lubricant, applied to a surface

a combustible absorbent material, such as sawdust or wood pulp, used to hold the nitroglycerine in dynamite

slang

any illegal drug, usually cannabis
(as modifier)a dope fiend

a drug administered to a racehorse or greyhound to affect its performance

informal a person considered to be stupid or slow-witted

informal news or facts, esp confidential information

US and Canadian informal a photographic developing solution

verb (tr)

electronics to add impurities to (a semiconductor) in order to produce or modify its properties

to apply or add a dopant to

to administer a drug to (oneself or another)

(intr) to take dope

adjective

slang, mainly US excellent

Word Origin for dope

C19: from Dutch doop sauce, from doopen to dip

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for dope (1 of 2)

dope

1807, American English, "sauce, gravy, thick liquid," from Dutch doop "thick dipping sauce," from doopen "to dip" (cf. dip (v.)). Extension to "drug" is 1889, from practice of smoking semi-liquid opium preparation. Meaning "foolish, stupid person" is older (1851) and may have a sense of "thick-headed." Sense of "inside information" (1901) may come from knowing before the race which horse had been drugged to influence performance. Dope-fiend is attested from 1896.

Word Origin and History for dope (1 of 2)

dope

1889, from dope (n.). Related: Doped; doping.

Medicine definitions for dope

dope

[ dōp ]

n.

A narcotic, especially an addictive narcotic.

An illicit drug, especially marijuana.

dope

noun

verb (used with object), doped, dop·ing.

verb (used without object), doped, dop·ing.

Verb Phrases

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of dope

Regional variation note

Examples from the Web for dope

British Dictionary definitions for dope

dope

noun

verb (tr)

adjective

Word Origin for dope

Word Origin and History for dope (1 of 2)

dope

Word Origin and History for dope (1 of 2)

dope

Medicine definitions for dope

dope

n.