physic Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a purging medicine; stimulates evacuation of the bowels
    aperient; purgative; cathartic.

WordNet

Phys"ic noun
Etymology
OE. phisike, fisike, OF. phisique, F. physique knowledge of nature, physics, L. physica, physice, fr. Gr. , fr. natural, from nature, fr. to produce, grow, akin to E. be. See Be, and cf. Physics, Physique.
Definitions
  1. The art of healing diseases; the science of medicine; the theory or practice of medicine. obsolete -- superseded by medicine "A doctor of physik." Chaucer.
  2. A specific internal application for the cure or relief of sickness; a remedy for disease; a medicine.
  3. Specifically, a medicine that purges; a cathartic.
  4. A physician. R. Shak.
Phys"ic transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Physiced ; present participle & verbal noun Physicking
Definitions
  1. To treat with physic or medicine; to administer medicine to, esp. a cathartic; to operate on as a cathartic; to purge.
  2. To work on as a remedy; to heal; to cure.
    The labor we delight in physics pain. Shak.
    A mind diseased no remedy can physic. Byron.

Webster 1913