nightshade

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: night=shade

CIDE DICTIONARY

nightshade, n. [AS. nichtscadu.].

 A common name of many species of the genus Solanum, given esp. to the Solanum nigrum, or black nightshade, a low, branching weed with small white flowers and black berries reputed to be poisonous.  [1913 Webster]

Deadly nightshade. Same as Belladonna (a). -- Enchanter's nightshade. See under Enchanter. -- Stinking nightshade. See Henbane. -- Three-leaved nightshade. See Trillium.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

nightshade, n. any of various poisonous plants, esp. of the genus Solanum, including S. nigrum (black nightshade) with black berries, and S. dulcamara (woody nightshade) with red berries.

Idiom

deadly nightshade = BELLADONNA.

Etymology

OE nihtscada app. formed as NIGHT + SHADE, prob. with ref. to its poisonous properties

ROGET THESAURUS

nightshade

Bane

N bane, curse, evil, hurtfulness, painfulness, scourge, damnosa hereditas, white elephant, sting, fang, thorn, tang, bramble, brier, nettle, poison, toxin, teratogen, leaven, virus venom, arsenic, antimony, tartar emetic, strychnine, nicotine, miasma, miasm, mephitis, malaria, azote, sewer gas, pest, Albany hemp, arsenious oxide, arsenious acid, bichloride of mercury, carbonic acid, carbonic gas, choke damp, corrosive sublimate, fire damp, hydrocyanic acid, cyanide, Prussic acid, hydrogen cyanide, marsh gas, nux vomica, ratsbane, hemlock, hellebore, nightshade, belladonna, henbane, aconite, banewort, bhang, ganja, hashish, Upas tree, Toxline (online), rust, worm, helminth, moth, moth and rust, fungus, mildew, dry rot, canker, cankerworm, cancer, torpedo, viper, demon, toxicology, baneful, poisonous, phr, bibere venenum in auro, Contingent Subservience.