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bad medicine
DCHP-1 (pre-1967)
Entry from the DCHP-1 (pre-1967)
This entry may contain outdated or offensive information, terms, and examples.
1a
in Indian parlance: misfortune; witchcraft; evil genius.
Quotations
1825
Some of them have it that I am one of the "Master of Life's Sons" sent to see "if their hearts were good" and others that I am his "War Chief" with bad medicine if their hearts were bad.
1955
His widow laid his death at Black's door; the bad medicine of the white trader was the cause of it, she said. . . .
1b
in Indian parlance: in phrases employing throw.
Quotations
<i>c</i>1804
It is very singular that they seldom impute sickness to any natural cause, but . . . imagine that some person has . . . thrown bad medicine in their way.
1897
Others were seen rubbing their eyes, as though they feared that by some witchery bad medicine had been thrown in them. . . .
1c
in Indian parlance: certain objects believed to have the power to work evil magic against an enemy.
Quotations
1922
About her person she carried the renowned "Bad Medicine" that every Indian believes in--medicine that weakened the arm of the warrior in battle.
2 — Slang
anything worthless or undesirable.
Quotations
1962
"Bad medicine," "chaffy" . . . and "pizen," are applied to anything worthless on the Eastern slope of the Rockies. . . .