We explain what prescribed means, examples and its meaning when it comes from a transitive or intransitive verb.
What does prescribed mean?
With the adjectives prescribed or prescribed, both coming from the verb prescribe, we refer to something that has been prescribed, ordered or determined, or that has been extinguished because its validity period has already passed.
Both meanings are valid for this adjective, inheritance from the Latin verb I will write (“write at the beginning” or “inscribe”), but which should never be confused with the incorrect forms “prewritten” either “prewritten”. However, the two common forms in the Spanish of the Río de la Plata region are tolerable: prescribed and prescribed.
The difference between these two meanings of the verb prescribe, however, are differentiated by the transitivity or intransitivity of the verb. When the verb is transitive, that is, it has a direct object in the sentence, the corresponding meaning is “prescribe”, “order” or “determine”. For example: “the doctor prescribed me medication” or “this ordinance must be prescribed by a judge.”
On the other hand, when the verb acts intransitively, that is, it does not require a direct object, its meaning changes to “expired” or “expired.” For example: “The fine they gave me expired last year” or “Your authority as a manager expired as soon as you announced your resignation.”
Let's look at other sentences as an example:
- “Did you bring the doctor's prescription? Or haven't you prescribed nothing yet?”
- “The family's lawsuit against the State has prescribed today without consequences.”
- “Have they not prescribed “Even the crimes you committed in Atacama?”
- “This arrest warrant is prescribed by the competent international courts.”
Prescribed or prescribed
There are two different forms for this adjective: prescribed and prescribed, the latter most common in the Spanish-speaking regions near the Río de la Plata, in South America, specifically in Argentina and Uruguay. Both ways are acceptable and there is, according to the Dictionary of Doubts of the Royal Spanish Academy, no discrepancy (except phonetic) between both words.
Continue with: Exacerbate
References
- “Prescribe” in Wiktionary.
- “Prescribe” in the Language Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy.
- “Prescribe” in the Pan-Hispanic Dictionary of Doubts of the Royal Spanish Academy.
- “Etymology of Prescribe” in the Online Spanish Etymological Dictionary.
- “The crime has prescribed, not prewritten” in Fundéu.
