Definitions of addiction:

  • noun:   (Roman law) a formal award by a court sentence of a thing or person to another (as of a debtor to his creditor); a surrender to a master
    Example: "Under Roman law addiction was the justification for slavery"
  • noun:   an abnormally strong craving
  • noun:   being abnormally tolerant to and dependent on something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming (especially alcohol or narcotic drugs)