Did Shakespeare come up with the word "Drug"?

Question

Ok, I read something in a book that stated that Shakespeare coined a lot of terms in the English language including the word "drug." Is that true???

the book is called Essential Shakespeare Handbook by Leslie Dunton-Downer, Alan Riding, 2004.

Answer 1

Matthew is correct. The date 1327 is the first recorded use of the word in an English text, but it'd be fair to say that it was in use long before then. This predates Shakespeare of course. Although the Oxford English Dictionary says 'maybe' in relation to the 'dry goods' 'dried herbs' theory (dry = droog = drug) I'm inclined to go with Matthew and say 'yes'.

If you want a list of (generally agreed) words invented by Shakespeare have a look at the link below.

Answer 2

no, it's not true:

1327, from O.Fr. drouge, perhaps from M.Du. or M.L.G. droge-vate "dry barrels," with first element mistaken as word for the contents (see dry goods), or because medicines mostly consisted of dried herbs. Application to "narcotics and opiates" is 1883, though association with "poisons" is 1500s. The verb is from 1605. Druggie first recorded 1968. Drug-store is 1810; drug-store cowboy is 1925, Amer.Eng. slang, originally one who dressed like a Westerner but obviously wasn't. To be a drug on or in the market (c.1661) is of doubtful connection and may be a different word, perhaps drag, which was sometimes drug c.1240-1800.

Answer 3

Truly he did coin several words and phrases such as the one "The most unkindest cut" in King Lear.

But I think this word "drug" is generic and was ever existant. If this is untrue then there must have been another equivalent word in usage before that times which I find hard to recollect!