drastic
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
English
Alternative forms
- drastick (obsolete)
Etymology
From Ancient Greek δραστικός (drastikós, “active, efficient”), from δρᾶσις (drâsis, “strength, efficacy”), itself from δράω (dráō, “to do”).
Pronunciation
Adjective
drastic (comparative more drastic, superlative most drastic)
- Having a strong or far-reaching effect; extreme, severe.
- If our third attempt fails, we may need drastic ideas.
- 2013 June 28, Joris Luyendijk, “Our banks are out of control”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 3, page 21:
- Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic who still resists the idea that something drastic needs to happen for him to turn his life around.
- (Orig. of medicine) Acting rapidly or violently.
- 1871-72, George Eliot, Middlemarch:
- Great statesmen err, and why not small medical men? Mr. Wrench did not neglect sending the usual white parcels, which this time had black and drastic contents. Their effect was not alleviating to poor Fred [...]
Usage notes
This word typically has a negative connotation. When describing positive, neutral, or non-frightening things, a less loaded synonym such as dramatic may be preferred instead. [1]
Synonyms
- (severe): draconian
Derived terms
Translations
extreme, severe
|
Noun
drastic (plural drastics)
Anagrams
Romanian
Etymology
Borrowed from French drastique.
Adjective
drastic m or n (feminine singular drastică, masculine plural drastici, feminine and neuter plural drastice)
Declension
Declension of drastic
singular | plural | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | neuter | feminine | masculine | neuter | feminine | ||
nominative/ accusative |
indefinite | drastic | drastică | drastici | drastice | ||
definite | drasticul | drastica | drasticii | drasticele | |||
genitive/ dative |
indefinite | drastic | drastice | drastici | drastice | ||
definite | drasticului | drasticei | drasticilor | drasticelor |
Categories:
- English terms derived from Ancient Greek
- English 2-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- Rhymes:English/æstɪk
- Rhymes:English/æstɪk/2 syllables
- English terms with audio links
- English lemmas
- English adjectives
- English terms with usage examples
- English terms with quotations
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- Romanian terms borrowed from French
- Romanian terms derived from French
- Romanian lemmas
- Romanian adjectives