chase the dragon

English

Etymology

Calque of Cantonese 追龍／追龙 (zeoi¹ lung⁴), a slang phrase of Cantonese origin from Hong Kong. "Chasing" refers to the careful movement of the liquid in order to keep it from coalescing into a single, unmanageable mass.

Pronunciation

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Verb

chase the dragon (third-person singular simple present chases the dragon, present participle chasing the dragon, simple past and past participle chased the dragon)

1. (slang) To inhale the vapour from heated morphine, heroin, oxycodone or opium that has been placed on a piece of foil.
2. (idiomatic) To chase after the promise of a continually fulfilling high from an addictive substance.