dope
dope — noun
- dopesingular
- dopesplural
1. marijuana, or any substance people take illegally to feel relaxed, excited, or e
marijuana, or any substance people take illegally to feel relaxed, excited, or euphoric rather than for medical reasons.
The police found a small amount of dope in the back seat of Shanti's car.
dope as an illicit substance in a legal context
Owen started smoking dope when he was a teenager, but he quit after a few years.
collocation: smoke dope
Some of the older kids at school were selling dope near the park.
Henrik warned his younger brother that using dope could ruin his chances of getting a good job.
Valentina told the officer she had never bought dope from anyone in her life.
- medicine
legal drugs prescribed by a doctor for health purposes
文法句型
often uncountable
countable in 'a dope' (a type of drug)
用法筆記
Common in informal conversation; the formal equivalent is 'illegal drugs' or 'narcotics'. In medical or legal writing, 'cannabis' or 'controlled substances' is preferred.
常見錯誤
2. someone who behaves foolishly or lacks common sense, often used to express mild
someone who behaves foolishly or lacks common sense, often used to express mild annoyance or affection.
Trang felt like a complete dope after locking her keys inside the car.
a + (adjective) + dope for self-criticism
Gabriel called himself a dope for forgetting his mother's birthday twice in a row.
Only a dope would walk into that meeting without reading the report first.
Don't be such a dope — the bus stop is on the other side of the street.
- genius
a person with outstanding intelligence
文法句型
a + dope
such a + dope
用法筆記
Softer and more playful than 'idiot' or 'moron'; often used between friends or as self-criticism. Avoid in formal or professional settings.
常見錯誤
3. secret or little-known facts about a person, event, or situation, especially whe
secret or little-known facts about a person, event, or situation, especially when they help someone make a decision.
If you want the real dope on the company's finances, ask Yara in accounting.
the dope on + topic for inside information
The journalist spent weeks gathering dope about the politician's hidden business deals.
collocation: gather dope about
Emily gave me the dope on which apartments in the building were actually worth renting.
The coach had his own dope on the opposing team's weakest players before the match.
- inside information
neutral register, widely used in business and journalism
- lowdown
equally informal, often interchangeable with 'dope'
- scoop
specifically a news story obtained before competitors
文法句型
the dope on + noun
用法筆記
Typically appears after 'the' ('the dope on'). The synonym 'inside information' is more formal and neutral. This sense is most common in North American English.
常見錯誤
dope — verb
- dopepresent simple I / you / we / they
- dopes3rd person singular
- doping-ing form
- dopedpast simple
1. to secretly supply athletes or race animals with banned substances that unfairly
to secretly supply athletes or race animals with banned substances that unfairly boost or reduce their chances of winning in a competition.
The cyclist was banned from the sport after officials proved he had doped himself before the race.
passive: was doped + before + event
Hassan suspected that someone had doped his horse to slow it down during the final lap.
dope + animal to affect performance
Three runners from the national team tested positive after being doped by their coach without their knowledge.
The greyhound was doped before the race, which caused the betting results to be cancelled.
Sports authorities now test athletes more strictly to catch anyone who dopes before major competitions.
- dope up
phrasal verb, same meaning, slightly more informal
- administer drugs to
formal and neutral, not specific to cheating
文法句型
dope + person/animal
be doped (up)
用法筆記
Often passive ('was doped') in news reports about sports scandals. The noun form 'doping' is more common than the verb in formal writing about sports ethics.
常見錯誤
2. to secretly put a drug into someone's food, drink, or body to cause drowsiness o
to secretly put a drug into someone's food, drink, or body to cause drowsiness or loss of consciousness, usually without their consent.
The kidnappers doped the guard by putting a chemical into his coffee.
dope someone by + method (surreptitious)
Élise's dog was so nervous before the flight that the vet had to dope it to keep it calm.
The thieves doped the family's food before breaking into the house at midnight.
Haruto woke up in a strange room and realized someone must have doped his drink at the party.
文法句型
dope + person/animal
dope + up
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (DRUG FOR COMPETITION): this sense focuses on causing sleep or sedation, not on enhancing athletic performance. The object is typically a drink or food the victim consumes unknowingly.
常見錯誤
dope — adjective
- dopepositive
- dopercomparative
- dopestsuperlative
1. extremely good, impressive, or enjoyable — used as slang to express strong appro
extremely good, impressive, or enjoyable — used as slang to express strong approval.
Sari's new skateboard is totally dope — the design and the wheels are amazing.
be + totally dope (intensifier)
The concert last night was dope; the band played every song the crowd wanted to hear.
Owen showed up at the party wearing a dope jacket covered in vintage patches.
The special effects in that movie are so dope that I want to watch it again tomorrow.
Valentina's dance moves were dope — everyone at the club stopped to watch her.
- lame
slang opposite, meaning disappointing or uncool
文法句型
be + dope
a + dope + noun
用法筆記
Strongly informal and associated with youth culture, hip-hop, and skate/surf subcultures. Use with caution in professional or mixed-age settings. The meaning is positive and enthusiastic, similar to 'awesome' or 'sick' in modern slang.