ibuprofen

Pluralibuprofens

Formsibuprofens, ibuprofening, ibuprofened

1. 1
   nouncountable or uncountable

   A synthetic drug used widely to relieve pain, reduce fever, and lessen inflammation.

   He swallowed two ibuprofen tablets after twisting his ankle.

   Many runners rely on ibuprofen to manage muscle soreness after long races.

   SimilarAdvil, Nuprin

   Note

   The name is built from the molecule's own parts: i(so)bu(tyl), pro(pionic acid) and phen(yl), clipped and run together. Chemists class it among the carboxylic acids, and pharmacologists file it with the anti-inflammatory painkillers. The noun counts both ways, as a substance (some ibuprofen) or as doses (two ibuprofens). Advil and Nuprin name the same compound, capitalized because they are trade names rather than the generic term.

2. 2
   verbraretransitive or intransitive

   To treat a patient or symptom by administering ibuprofen to someone.

   Doctors sometimes ibuprofen patients preemptively before minor procedures.

   By this time, Greg says, he was seeing triple and had a bad headache and Nate was seriously exhausted. Everyone was ibuprofened to the max. We reached the summit at 12:45 p.m., with Greg and Nate suffering the most.

   2003, John Wilson, “Mt. Whitney in a day”

   Note

   A rare verb that shows up mostly as a past participle, often in a run of things done to someone: ice-packed, ibuprofened, and shuffled along. A climber might also report that everyone was ibuprofened to the max. It suits narrative and casual talk; in careful or clinical writing, give ibuprofen or treat with ibuprofen is the safer phrasing. The past form simply adds -ed: ibuprofened.

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