pep pill
1
7.5
- noun
- /pɛp pɪl/
- Specialized
:
píldora estimulante
- Many college students take pep pills during exam season to stay focused and alert.
Examples
-
Because he was tired before the exam, he took a pep pill to stay alert.
-
Doctors warn that using a pep pill without medical supervision can be dangerous.
-
She relied on a pep pill to help her get through her night shifts.
-
She took a pep pill before her big presentation.
-
The doctor prescribed pep pills to help with her fatigue.
-
The doctor prescribed a pep pill to help her manage her narcolepsy symptoms.
-
After feeling tired all day, he decided to take a pep pill to boost his energy.
Synonyms
64
8.2
An illegal drug that makes you more awake and less hungry
30
7.2
A drug made by people that speeds up the brain, treats ADHD and narcolepsy, and is sometimes misused
6
8.8
A drug that makes you feel more awake and less hungry
1
9.9
A man-made medicine that reduces nose swelling and makes you feel less hungry
A drug once used to help breathing and the heart, causing violent body shaking in larger doses
Antonyms
- Specialized
52
6.1
A medicine that makes a person calmer and reduces worry or tension without making them sleepy
How Stimulating
- NSFW
30
7.2
- Specialized
1
7.5
- Specialized
1
4.5
1
2.8
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a pill containing a stimulant' is directly and compositionally derived from combining 'pep' (liveliness, vigor) with 'pill' (a tablet), i.e. a tablet that gives you pep. This noun-noun compounding follows regular English patterns and is cross-linguistically plausible, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would likely infer the intended meaning.
Etymology
Pep pill comes from a simple picture: a small pill that gives you pep, a sudden burst of 'energy'. So it means a medicine you take to 'feel more awake' and less tired.