n. & v.
--n.
1. a a qualified practitioner of medicine; a physician. b US a qualified dentist or veterinary surgeon.
2 a person who holds a doctorate (Doctor of Civil Law).
3 colloq. a person who carries out repairs.
4 archaic a teacher or learned man.
5 sl. a cook on board a ship or in a camp.
6 (in full doctor-blade) Printing a blade for removing surplus ink etc.
7 an artificial fishing-fly.
--v. colloq.
1. a tr. treat medically. b intr. (esp. as doctoring n.) practise as a physician.
2 tr. castrate or spay.
3 tr. patch up (machinery etc.); mend.
4 tr. adulterate.
5 tr. tamper with, falsify.
6 tr. confer a degree of doctor on.
Phrases and idioms:
Doctor of the Church any of several early Christian Fathers of the Church. Doctor of Philosophy a doctorate in any faculty except law, medicine, or sometimes theology. go for the doctor Austral. sl.
1. make an all-out effort.
2 bet all one has. what the doctor ordered colloq. something beneficial or desirable.
Derivatives:
doctorhood n. doctorial adj. doctorly adj. doctorship n.
Etymology: ME f. OF doctour f. L doctor f. docere doct- teach