elixir
elixir — noun
1. a liquid thought to have supernatural powers — able to heal any illness, keep a
a liquid thought to have supernatural powers — able to heal any illness, keep a person young, or bring about great improvement
In the old legend, the elixir could heal any wound before the morning came.
elixir + could + infinitive for magical property
The healer promised Jabari that her green elixir would cure his fever in three days.
Some people spend a fortune searching for an elixir that will keep them young forever.
Nora's grandmother treated every stomach ache with the same bitter elixir made from mountain herbs.
- potion
a broader term for any magical or medicinal drink; 'potion' can be poisonous, while 'elixir' is always curative or beneficial
- tonic
a substance that makes you feel stronger or healthier; less magical, more about general well-being
- panacea
a solution for all problems or diseases; more abstract and formal than 'elixir'
文法句型
elixir + of + noun
elixir + that + clause
用法筆記
Often used in figurative or literary contexts. The fixed expressions 'elixir of life' and 'elixir of youth' are the most common forms.
常見錯誤
2. a sweet liquid used in medicine, sometimes containing alcohol, that helps hide t
a sweet liquid used in medicine, sometimes containing alcohol, that helps hide the unpleasant taste of a drug or is taken as a remedy itself
The pharmacist made a cherry-flavored elixir so the child would take the medicine easily.
adjective + elixir for flavor description
In the 1800s, doctors often prescribed an opium-based elixir to relieve severe pain.
Kenji kept the cough elixir in a dark glass bottle to protect it from sunlight.
Before pills existed, people took medicines as an elixir mixed with honey and herbs.
文法句型
elixir + for + noun/gerund
adjective + elixir
用法筆記
This is a technical term used in pharmacology. In everyday conversation, people usually say 'cough syrup' or 'liquid medicine' instead of 'elixir'.
常見錯誤
3. an imaginary substance that alchemists in the Middle Ages tried to create, belie
an imaginary substance that alchemists in the Middle Ages tried to create, believed to be able to turn ordinary metals such as lead into gold
Medieval alchemists spent years searching for the elixir that would turn lead into gold.
search for + the elixir + that-clause
The old manuscript described the elixir as a powder that could change any metal.
Ritu learned that the pursuit of the elixir helped start the science of chemistry.
In European and Chinese alchemy, the elixir was thought to unlock the secrets of matter.
- philosopher's stone
the exact name for the legendary alchemical substance; 'elixir' is the liquid version of the same concept
- universal solvent
a different alchemical concept — a liquid that could dissolve anything, not turn metals into gold
文法句型
the elixir + that + clause
elixir of + noun
search for + elixir
用法筆記
Closely tied to alchemy. In modern contexts, the word is sometimes used metaphorically to describe something that seems to solve all problems at once.