drastic
/ˈdrɑːstɪk/ adjective, noun
Forms drastics drastick
- adjective Having a strong or far-reaching effect; extreme, severe. “If our third attempt fails, we may need drastic ideas.”
- adjective (Orig. of medicine) Acting rapidly or violently.
- noun A powerful, fast-acting purgative medicine.
Synonyms
Etymology
From Ancient Greek δραστικός (drastikós, “active, efficient”), from δρᾶσις (drâsis, “strength, efficacy”), itself from δράω (dráō, “to do”).
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Acting rapidly and violently; efficacious; powerful; --opposed to bland; as, drastic purgatives.
- adjective A violent purgative. See Cathartic.
Etymology [Gr. drastique. See Drama.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “drastic”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details