bro
mide
Plural
bromides
1
a dull, overused statement said to comfort someone but that fails to do so
- Her speech was full of bromides about teamwork and perseverance, but it lacked any concrete plan.
- Instead of facing the issue, he resorted to the old bromide "everything happens for a reason."
- The conference handouts were packed with feel-good bromides that everyone ignored.
- When asked for feedback, she sighed and muttered a few polite bromides about improvement.
- The coach's pregame bromide—"play hard, leave it all on the field"—felt tired and uninspiring.
Synonyms:
2
a bromine-containing compound once prescribed to calm nerves or induce sleep, largely replaced by modern medications now
- In the early 1900s, doctors frequently dosed anxious patients with potassium bromide.
- She recalled her grandmother's tales of bromide tablets taken nightly to ward off insomnia.
- The neurologist explained that bromides had fallen out of favor because of their toxic side effects.
- During the industrial era, bromide injections were administered to control epileptic seizures.
- The old pharmacy shelf still held glass bottles labeled "Bromide Solution" and "Potassium Bromide."