theriac

plural theriacs · alternative theriaca · alternative theriace · alternative theriack · alternative theriaque

1. countablehistoricaluncountablemedicineA universal antidote against all poisons, particularly medicines considered to derive from a recipe of the Roman physician Andromachus and representing an improvement on mithridate.

   Theriac was essentially homeopathic in its supposed function, being an improvement on mithridate by virtue of containing more poisons.

   3 more examples

   This excellent triacle Methridatum is nexte in qualitye and virtue to Theriaca... but onely Theriaca is a little hotter and stronger againste venyme of Snakes.

   1558, William Bullein, The Government of Health, fol. 120

   Theriaca Andromachi, the Venice or Mithridate treacle... Theriaca communis, common treacle, or molasses... Theriaca Londinensis, a cataplasm of cummin seed, bay-berries, germander, snake-root, cloves and honey.

   1811, John Quincy et al., Quincy's Lexicon-Medicum..., s.v

   From then on galene became the theriac par excellence, known simply as theriac, and there never was a more successful drug[…] Those who could afford it gulped down a bean-sized lump of theriac for practically everything from the Black Death to nothing at all, as a preventive.

   1975, Guido Majno, The Healing Hand, Harvard University Press, page 415

2. countablefigurativelyuncountableA hyponym of panacea.
3. archaiccountableuncountablemedicineSynonym of antidote, particularly (pseudoscience) those incorporating snakemeat to cure snakebite.

   ...ane half vnce of guid auld theriac...

   1568, Gilbert Skeyne, chapter 7, in Ane Breue Descriptioun of the Pest

   2 more examples

   ...the great number of Vipers, brought to the Grand Duke of Toscany for the composing of Theriac or Treacle...

   1666, Philosophical Transactions, volume I, page 160

   ...in the herbal (Kra:uterbuch) of German physician Adam Lonicer... In his final edition, published in 1587 (the year after his death), Lonicer added an entry on bezoar, "a stone against all poison," which he highlighted as "more powerful than any other poison antidote or theriac."

   2021, Alisha Rankin, The Poison Trials, page 179

   Synonyms: antidote, particularly

4. countableobsoleteuncountableSynonym of molasses.

   Synonyms: molasses

comparative more theriac · superlative most theriac · alternative theriaca · alternative theriace · alternative theriack · alternative theriaque

1. medicineSynonym of theriacal: of or related to theriac.

   Synonyms: theriacal

2. obsoletemedicineSynonym of medicinal.

   Synonyms: medicinal