From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbarbituratebar‧bi‧tu‧rate /bɑːˈbɪtʃərət $ bɑːrˈbɪtʃərət, -reɪt/ noun [countable, uncountable] MDa powerful drug that makes people calm and helps them to sleep
Examples from the Corpus
barbiturate• Drugs such as anticoagulants, antacids, barbiturates, alcohol and tobacco may increase the likelihood of the condition developing.• This finding is consistent with other reports showing that restitution of the damaged mucosa takes place in barbiturate anaesthetised rats.• Once the first line of treatment for insomnia, barbiturates have now been almost completely abandoned for this use.• Also, an overdose of barbiturates can severely depress the central nervous system and lead to death.• The cause of death was given as a combined overdose of barbiturates and alcohol.• Certain mixtures of drugs can be deadly, for example, alcohol plus barbiturates.• However, anyone tolerant to barbiturates, alcohol, and other general central nervous system depressants show some cross-tolerance to benzodiazepines.• She died at age 44, with barbiturates in her blood and a plastic bag over her head.Origin barbiturate (1800-1900) barbituric acid type of acid ((19-21 centuries)), from German barbitursäure, from Barbara female name + säure “acid” 