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opiummore about opium

opium


  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Opium  \O"pi*um\,  n.  [L.,  fr  Gr  ?  poppy  juice,  dim.  of  ? 
  vegetable  juice.]  (Chem.) 
  The  inspissated  juice  of  the  {Papaver  somniferum},  or  white 
  poppy. 
 
  Note:  Opium  is  obtained  from  incisions  made  in  the  capsules 
  of  the  plant,  and  the  best  flows  from  the  first 
  incision.  It  is  imported  into  Europe  and  America 
  chiefly  from  the  Levant,  and  large  quantities  are  sent 
  to  China  from  India,  Persia,  and  other  countries.  It  is 
  of  a  brownish  yellow  color,  has  a  faint  smell,  and 
  bitter  and  acrid  taste.  It  is  a  stimulant  narcotic 
  poison,  which  may  produce  hallicinations  profound 
  sleep,  or  death.  It  is  much  used  in  medicine  to  soothe 
  pain  and  inflammation,  and  is  smoked  as  an  intoxicant 
  with  baneful  effects. 
 
  {Opium  joint},  a  low  resort  of  opium  smokers.  [Slang] 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  opium 
  n  :  an  addictive  narcotic  extracted  from  seed  capsules  of  the 
  opium  poppy 




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