cough syrup: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
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Quick answer
What does “cough syrup” mean?
A sweet, thick, usually medicated liquid taken to relieve a cough.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A sweet, thick, usually medicated liquid taken to relieve a cough.
A liquid medication for suppressing cough symptoms, often containing demulcents, expectorants, or antitussives. Informally used to refer to any simplistic or generic remedy.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. 'Cough medicine' is a more general synonym used in both varieties, but 'cough syrup' is equally common.
Connotations
Both neutral and clinical. Associated with childhood sickness and over-the-counter remedies.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “cough syrup” in a Sentence
Take [dose/amount] of cough syrupAdminister cough syrup to [person]Be on cough syrupVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cough syrup” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The doctor advised him to cough syrup three times a day. (Rare/ungainly; 'take cough syrup' is standard.)
American English
- You shouldn't drive after coughing that strong syrup. (Rare/idiomatic slang for taking cough syrup, especially with codeine.)
adverb
British English
- He drank it cough-syrup slow. (Figurative, poetic.)
American English
- She moved cough-syrup slow after her night-time dose. (Figurative.)
adjective
British English
- He had a cough-syrup stain on his pyjamas. (Hyphenated compound adjective.)
American English
- The cough syrup bottle has a child-proof cap. (Noun adjunct.)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
In pharmaceutical retail: 'Q4 sales of paediatric cough syrup exceeded forecasts.'
Academic
In pharmacology: 'The study compared the efficacy of codeine-based cough syrup to placebo.'
Everyday
Common in domestic and healthcare contexts: 'I need to pick up some cough syrup from the chemist.'
Technical
In medicine/pharmacy: 'Contraindications for the cough syrup include concurrent MAOI use.'
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cough syrup”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “cough syrup”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cough syrup”
- Misspelling as 'cough sirup' (archaic). Using plural 'cough syrups' unnaturally when referring to the substance generally (e.g., 'The cupboard is full of cough syrup' is more natural than '...cough syrups').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily uncountable when referring to the substance ('have some cough syrup'). It can be countable when referring to types or brands ('compare two cough syrups').
'Cough syrup' is a specific liquid form. 'Cough medicine' is a hypernym that can include syrups, lozenges, tablets, and sprays.
Yes, but specific formulations differ. 'Suppressant' syrups are for dry, tickly coughs. 'Expectorant' syrups are for chesty coughs to help bring up mucus.
Some contain sedating antihistamines (e.g., diphenhydramine) or opioid derivatives (e.g., codeine) which depress the cough reflex and central nervous system.
A sweet, thick, usually medicated liquid taken to relieve a cough.
Cough syrup is usually neutral in register.
Cough syrup: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkɒf ˌsɪr.əp/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkɑːf ˌsɪr.əp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[not idiomatically strong] Like cough syrup (used to describe something unpleasant but necessary).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: A COUGH makes you rough; SYRUP is sweet and smooth to soothe it.
Conceptual Metaphor
MEDICINE IS A SWEETENER (making the bitter pill of illness easier to swallow).
Practice
Quiz
In a formal medical context, which term is most specific and technical?