purgative, a. and n.
(ˈpɜːgətɪv)
[a. F. purgatif, -ive (14th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), ad. late L. purgātīv-us purgative, f. ppl. stem of L. purgāre to cleanse, purge: see -ive, -ative.]
A. adj. Having the quality of purging.
1. Med. Causing evacuation of the bowels; cathartic, aperient.
| c 1400 tr. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh. 96 Stryngthe digestyf, and purgatyf. 1538 Elyot Dict., Catharctica, purgatiue medicines. 1605 Shakes. Macb. v. iii. 55 What Rubarb, Cyme, or what Purgatiue drugge Would scowre these English hence. 1631 E. Jorden Nat. Bathes vii. (1669) 48 The purgative faculty of Medicines. 1732 Arbuthnot Rules of Diet in Aliments, etc. 248 The Juice of an unripe Cucumber is purgative. 1843 R. J. Graves Syst. Clin. Med. xxx. 416 A purgative pill was administered. |
2. Cleansing or freeing from defilement, evil, sin, or guilt; † of or pertaining to purgatory (1605).
| 1605 Bell Motives Romish Faith 102 The great perplexitie of papistes, concerning this their purgatiue imagination. 1675 Traherne Chr. Ethics 254 Among the vertues some are purgative, and some are perfective. 1856 R. A. Vaughan Mystics (1860) II. ix. ii. 128 A certain time-honoured division of the mystical process into Purgative, Illuminative, and Unitive. 1896 C. K. Paul tr. Huysmans' En Route ii. v. 240 This idea of a purgative life after death is so natural..that all religions assume it. |
B. n.
1. A cathartic or aperient medicine which provokes evacuation.
| 1626 Bacon Sylva §491 Setting stronger poysons, or purgatives, by them. 1789 W. Buchan Dom. Med. (1790) 401 Small quantities of salt and water, or some other mild purgative. 1838 T. Thomson Chem. Org. Bodies 433 We prefer cold drawn castor-oil as a purgative. |
2. Any cleansing or purifying agent or means.
| 1701 De Foe True-born Eng. i. 230 Civil Wars, the common Purgative Which always use to make the Nation thrive. 1712 Addison Spect. No. 507 ¶1 Plato has called Mathematical Demonstrations the Catharticks, or Purgatives of the Soul. |
Hence ˈpurgatively adv., ˈpurgativeness.
| 1847 Webster, Purgatively. 1727 Bailey vol. II, Purgativeness, purging, purifying, or cleansing Quality. |