n. & v.
--n.
1. an amount of a medicine or drug for taking or taken at one time.
2 a quantity of something administered or allocated (e.g. work, praise, punishment, etc.).
3 the amount of ionizing radiation received by a person or thing.
4 sl. a venereal infection.
--v.tr.
1. treat (a person or animal) with doses of medicine.
2 give a dose or doses to.
3 adulterate or blend (esp. wine with spirit).
Phrases and idioms:
like a dose of salts colloq. very fast and efficiently.
Etymology: F f. LL dosis f. Gk dosis gift f. didomi give