Doctorly

doc·tor  (dktr)

n.

1. A person, especially a physician, dentist, or veterinarian, trained in the healing arts and licensed to practice.

2.

a. A person who has earned the highest academic degree awarded by a college or university in a specified discipline.

b. A person awarded an honorary degree by a college or university.

3. Abbr. Dr. Used as a title and form of address for a person holding the degree of doctor.

4. Roman Catholic Church An eminent theologian.

5. A practitioner of folk medicine or folk magic.

6. A rig or device contrived for remedying an emergency situation or for doing a special task.

7. Any of several brightly colored artificial flies used in fly fishing.

v. doc·tored, doc·tor·ing, doc·tors Informal

v.tr.

1. Informal To give medical treatment to: "[He] does more than practice medicine. He doctors people. There's a difference" (Charles Kuralt).

2. To repair, especially in a makeshift manner; rig.

3.

a. To falsify or change in such a way as to make favorable to oneself: doctored the evidence.

b. To add ingredients so as to improve or conceal the taste, appearance, or quality of: doctor the soup with a dash of sherry. See Synonyms at adulterate.

c. To alter or modify for a specific end: doctored my standard speech for the small-town audience.

d. Baseball To deface or apply a substance to (the ball): was ejected because he doctored the ball with a piece of sandpaper.

v.intr. Informal

To practice medicine.

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[Middle English, an expert, authority, from Old French docteur, from Latin doctor, teacher, from docre, to teach; see dek- in Indo-European roots.]

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doctor·al adj.

doctor·ly adj.