OPIUM
opium
(noun) an addictive narcotic extracted from seed capsules of the opium poppy
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
opium (countable and uncountable, plural opiums or opia)
(uncountable) A yellow-brown, addictive narcotic drug obtained from the dried juice of unripe pods of the opium poppy, Papaver somniferum, and containing alkaloids such as morphine, codeine, and papaverine.
(countable) Anything that numbs or stupefies.
• "Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, . . . It is the opium of the people." - Karl Marx
Synonyms
• See also recreational drug
Source: Wiktionary
O"pi*um, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. (Chem.)
Definition: 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]
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition