01 n. A teacher; one skilled in a profession, or branch of knowledge; a learned man.
-
1.
A teacher; one skilled in a profession, or branch of knowledge; a learned man.[Obs.]“One of the doctors of Italy, Nicholas Macciavel.” — Bacon.
-
2.
An academical title, originally meaning a man so well versed in his department as to be qualified to teach it. Hence: One who has taken the highest degree conferred by a university or college, or has received a diploma of the highest degree; as, a doctor of divinity, of law, of medicine, of music, or of philosophy. Such diplomas may confer an honorary title only.
-
3.
One duly licensed to practice medicine; a member of the medical profession; a physician.“By medicine life may be prolonged, yet death Will seize the doctor too.” — Shak.
-
4.
Any mechanical contrivance intended to remedy a difficulty or serve some purpose in an exigency; as, the doctor of a calico-printing machine, which is a knife to remove superfluous coloring matter; the doctor, or auxiliary engine, called also donkey engine.
-
5.
The friar skate.(Zool.) [Prov. Eng.]
Phrases & compounds
Doctors' Commons —
See under Commons.
Doctor's stuff —
physic, medicine.
Doctor fish —
any fish of the genus Acanthurus; the surgeon fish; -- so called from a sharp lancetlike spine on each side of the tail. Also called barber fish. See Surgeon fish.