dope out

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

dope /doʊp/   n., v., doped, dop•ing, adj. 
n. 

1. Drugs, Slang Terms [Slang.] a narcotic or illegal drug:
   [uncountable] He was on dope for years.
2. Drugs, Slang Terms [uncountable] [Slang.] a narcotic preparation given to a horse to improve or hold back its performance in a race.
3. Slang Terms information;
   news:
   [uncountable] What's the latest dope?
4. Informal Terms a stupid person:
   [countable] Tell those dopes to give you a raise.

v. 

5. Drugs, Slang Terms [ often: be + ~-ed (+ up ) ][Slang.] to affect with dope or drugs:
   He was obviously doped (up), shouting and weaving down the street.
6. to give dope to;
   treat with dope: [ ~ (+ up ) + obj]:
   They had doped (up) the patient heavily before the operation.
   [ ~ + obj (+ up ) ]:
   They doped the horse (up) and it easily won the race.
7. Slang Terms dope out, to figure out: [~ + out + object]
   I doped out most of the questions on the test.
   [~ + object + out]
   I finally doped it out: we were a threat to him.
   [~ + out +(that) clause]
   I finally doped out that I was being threatened.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

dope  (dōp), n., v., doped, dop•ing. 
n. 

1. any thick liquid or pasty preparation, as a lubricant, used in preparing a surface.
2. an absorbent material used to absorb and hold a liquid, as in the manufacture of dynamite.
3. Aeronautics
   • any of various varnishlike products for coating a fabric, as of airplane wings, in order to make it waterproof, stronger, etc.
   • a similar product used to coat the fabric of a balloon to reduce gas leakage.
4. Drugs, Slang Terms [Slang.]
   • any narcotic or narcoticlike drug taken to induce euphoria or satisfy addiction.
   • any illicit drug.
5. Drugs, Slang Terms [Slang.] a narcotic preparation given surreptitiously to a horse to improve or retard its performance in a race.
6. Slang Terms information, data, or news:
   What's the latest dope on the strike?
7. Informal Terms a stupid or unresponsive person.
8. Dialect Terms [Southern U.S.] (chiefly South Atlantic States) soda pop, esp. cola-flavored.
9. Dialect Terms [North Central U.S.] (chiefly Ohio). syrup used as a topping for ice cream.

v.t. 

10. Drugs, Slang Terms [Slang.] to affect with dope or drugs.
11. to apply or treat with dope.
12. Electronics to add or treat (a pure semiconductor) with a dopant.

v.i. 

13. Drugs, Slang Terms [Slang.] to take drugs.
14. dope out, [Slang.]
    • to figure out;
      calculate;
      devise:
      to dope out a plan.
    • to deduce or infer from available information:
      to dope out a solution to a problem.

• Dutch doop (dialect, dialectal) sauce, derivative of dopen to dip
• 1840–50, 1885–90 for def. 4, 1900–05 for def. 6

Regional Variation

8. See soda pop.