Poison

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: poi=son

CIDE DICTIONARY

Poison, n. [F. poison, in Old French also, a potion, fr. L. potio a drink, draught, potion, a poisonous draught, fr. potare to drink. See Potable, and cf. Potion.].

•  Any agent which, when introduced into the animal organism, is capable of producing a morbid, noxious, or deadly effect upon it; as, morphine is a deadly poison; the poison of pestilential diseases.  [1913 Webster]
•  That which taints or destroys moral purity or health; as, the poison of evil example; the poison of sin.  [1913 Webster]

Poison ash. (Bot.) (a) A tree of the genus Amyris (Amyris balsamifera) found in the West Indies, from the trunk of which a black liquor distills, supposed to have poisonous qualities. (b) The poison sumac (Rhus venenata). [U. S.] -- Poison dogwood (Bot.), poison sumac. -- Poison fang (Zoöl.), one of the superior maxillary teeth of some species of serpents, which, besides having the cavity for the pulp, is either perforated or grooved by a longitudinal canal, at the lower end of which the duct of the poison gland terminates. See Illust. under Fang. -- Poison gland (Biol.), a gland, in animals or plants, which secretes an acrid or venomous matter, that is conveyed along an organ capable of inflicting a wound. -- Poison hemlock (Bot.), a poisonous umbelliferous plant (Conium maculatum). See Hemlock. -- Poison ivy (Bot.), a poisonous climbing plant (formerly Rhus Toxicodendron, or Rhus radicans, now classified as Toxicodendron radicans) of North America. It is common as a climbing vine, especially found on tree trunks, or walls, or as a low, spreading vine or as a shrub. As a low vine it grows well in lightly shaded areas, recognizable by growing in clusters of three leaves. Its leaves are trifoliate, rhombic-ovate, and variously notched. Its form varies slightly from location to location, leading to some speculation that it may consist of more than one species. Many people are poisoned by it, though some appear resistant to its effects. Touching the leaves may leave a residue of an oil on the skin, and if not washed off quickly, sensitive areas of skin become reddened and develop multiple small blisters, lasting for several days to several weeks, and causing a persistent itch. The toxic reaction is due to an oil, present in all parts of the plant except the pollen, called urushiol, the active component of which is the compound pentadecylacatechol (according to Charles H. Booras). See Poison sumac. It is related to poison oak, and is also called mercury. -- Poison nut. (Bot.) (a) Nux vomica. (b) The tree which yields this seed (Strychnos Nuxvomica). It is found on the Malabar and Coromandel coasts. -- Poison oak (Bot.), a dermatitis-producing plant often lumped together with the poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) in common terminology, but more properly distinguished as the more shrubby Toxicodendron quercifolium (syn. Toxicodendron diversilobum), common in California and Oregon. Opinion varies as to whether the poison oak and poison ivy are only variants of a single species. See poison ivy, above. -- Poison sac. (Zoöl.) Same as Poison gland, above. See Illust. under Fang. -- Poison sumac (Bot.), a poisonous shrub formerly considered to be of the genus Rhus (Rhus venenata), but now classified as Toxicodendron vernix; -- also called poison ash, poison dogwood, and poison elder. It has pinnate leaves on graceful and slender common petioles, and usually grows in swampy places. Both this plant and the poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans, formerly Rhus Toxicodendron) have clusters of smooth greenish white berries, while the red-fruited species of this genus are harmless. The tree (Rhus vernicifera) which yields the celebrated Japan lacquer is almost identical with the poison sumac, and is also very poisonous. The juice of the poison sumac also forms a lacquer similar to that of Japan.

Syn. -- Venom; virus; bane; pest; malignity.

Poison, v. t. [Cf. OF. poisonner, F. empoissoner, L. potionare to give to drink. See Poison, n.].

•  To put poison upon or into; to infect with poison; as, to poison an arrow; to poison food or drink.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]
•  To injure or kill by poison; to administer poison to.  [1913 Webster]

  "If you poison us, do we not die ?"  [1913 Webster]
•  To taint; to corrupt; to vitiate; as, vice poisons happiness; slander poisoned his mind.  [1913 Webster]

  "Whispering tongues can poison truth."  [1913 Webster]

Poison, v. i. 

 To act as, or convey, a poison.  [1913 Webster]
"Tooth that poisons if it bite."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Poison, n. & v.
--n.
1 a substance that when introduced into or absorbed by a living organism causes death or injury, esp. one that kills by rapid action even in a small quantity.
2 colloq. a harmful influence or principle etc.
3 Physics & Chem. a substance that interferes with the normal progress of a nuclear reaction, chain reaction, catalytic reaction, etc.
--v.tr.
1 administer poison to (a person or animal).
2 kill or injure or infect with poison.
3 infect (air, water, etc.) with poison.
4 (esp. as poisoned adj.) treat (a weapon) with poison.
5 corrupt or pervert (a person or mind).
6 spoil or destroy (a person's pleasure etc.).
7 render (land etc.) foul and unfit for its purpose by a noxious application etc.

Idiom

poison gas = GAS n. 4. poison ivy a N. American climbing plant, Rhus toxicodendron, secreting an irritant oil from its leaves. poison-pen letter an anonymous libellous or abusive letter.

Derivative

poisoner n. poisonous adj. poisonously adv.

Etymology

ME f. OF poison, poisonner (as POTION)

THESAURUS

Poison

Cain, DDD, DDT, Paris green, abomination, abuse, acaricide, activate, adulterate, adulteration, afflict, aggrieve, alloy, annihilate, anthelmintic, antibiotic, antimony, antiseptic, apache, arsenic, arsenic trioxide, assassin, assassinator, atrocity, bad, bane, befoul, befoulment, bereave of life, beryllium, bewitch, bichloride of mercury, blight, bloodletter, bloodshedder, bravo, bug bomb, burker, butcher, button man, cadmium, cancer, canker, cannibal, carbamate insecticide, carbolic acid, carbon monoxide, carbon tetrachloride, carry away, carry off, charge, cheapen, chemosterilant, chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticide, chlorine, chloroform, coarsen, communicability, condemn, confound, contact poison, contagion, contagiousness, contaminate, contamination, corrupt, corruption, crucify, crying evil, curse, cut down, cut off, cutthroat, cyanide, damage, deadliness, debase, debauch, defile, defilement, deflower, defoliant, degenerate, degrade, demoralize, denature, deprave, deprive of life, desecrate, desperado, despoil, despoliation, destroy, destruction, destructiveness, detriment, devalue, disadvantage, disinfectant, dispatch, dispose of, disserve, distort, distress, do a mischief, do away with, do evil, do for, do ill, do to death, do wrong, do wrong by, doom, embalming fluid, empoison, end, envenom, eradicant, eradicator, evil, execute, executioner, exterminate, exterminator, finish, finish off, formaldehyde, fumigant, fungicide, garroter, germicide, get into trouble, gorilla, grievance, gun, gunman, gunsel, harass, harm, hatchet man, havoc, head-hunter, herbicide, hex, hit man, homicidal maniac, homicide, hurt, hydrocyanic acid, hyoscyamine, ill, immolate, impair, infect, infection, infectiousness, infectivity, injure, injury, insect powder, insecticide, irradiate, jinx, kill, killer, launch into eternity, lead, liquidate, lynch, make away with, malignancy, maltreat, man-eater, man-killer, manslayer, martyr, martyrize, massacrer, matador, menace, mephitic, mephitis, mercuric chloride, mercury, miasma, microbicide, mischief, mistreat, misuse, miticide, molest, murder, murderer, mustard gas, nicotine, noxiousness, organic chlorine, organic phosphate insecticide, outrage, panther piss, persecute, pervert, pesticide, pestilence, phenol, plague, play havoc with, play hob with, poison gas, poisoner, poisonousness, pollute, pollution, prejudice, prostitute, prussic acid, purge, put away, put down, put to death, put to sleep, radiumize, rat poison, ravage, ravish, remove from life, roach paste, roach powder, rodenticide, rotgut, sacrifice, savage, scathe, selenium, shellac, slaughterer, slay, slayer, sophistication, stain, starve, stomach poison, strangler, strychnine, subvert, systemic, systemic insecticide, taint, take life, take off, the worst, threaten, thug, torment, torpedo, torture, toxic, toxicant, toxicity, toxin, trigger man, twist, ulcerate, venin, venom, venomous, venomousness, vermicide, vexation, violate, virulence, virulency, virulent, virus, vitiate, vulgarize, warp, weed killer, woe, wound, wreak havoc on, wrong

ROGET THESAURUS

Poison

Deterioration

VB be worse, be deteriorated, become worse, become deteriorated Adj, have seen better days, deteriorate, degenerate, fall off, wane, ebb, retrograde, decline, droop, go down, go downhill, go from bad to worse, go farther and fare worse, jump out of the frying pan into the fire, run to seed, go to seed, run to waste swale, sweal, lapse, be the worse for, sphacelate: break, break down, spring a leak, crack, start, shrivel, fade, go off, wither, molder, rot, rankle, decay, go bad, go to decay, fall into decay, fall into the sear and yellow leaf, rust, crumble, shake, totter, totter to its fall, perish, die, deteriorate, weaken, put back, set back, taint, infect, contaminate, poison, empoison, envenom, canker, corrupt, exulcerate, pollute, vitiate, inquinate, debase, embase, denaturalize, denature, leaven, deflower, debauch, defile, deprave, degrade, ulcerate, stain, discolor, alloy, adulterate, sophisticate, tamper with, prejudice, pervert, prostitute, demoralize, brutalize, render vicious, embitter, acerbate, exacerbate, aggravate, injure, impair, labefy, damage, harm, hurt, shend, scath, scathe, spoil, mar, despoil, dilapidate, waste, overrun, ravage, pillage, wound, stab, pierce, maim, lame, surbate, cripple, hough, hamstring, hit between wind and water, scotch, mangle, mutilate, disfigure, blemish, deface, warp, blight, rot, corrode, erode, wear away, wear out, gnaw, gnaw at the root of, sap, mine, undermine, shake, sap the foundations of, break up, disorganize, dismantle, dismast, destroy, damnify, do one's worst, knock down, deal a blow to, play havoc with, play sad havoc with, play the mischief with, play the deuce with, play the very devil with, play havoc among, play sad havoc among, play the mischief among, play the deuce among, play the very devil among, decimate.

N deterioration, debasement, wane, ebb, recession, retrogradation, decrease, degeneracy, degeneration, degenerateness, degradation, depravation, depravement, devolution, depravity, demoralization, retrogression, masochism, impairment, inquination, injury, damage, loss, detriment, delaceration, outrage, havoc, inroad, ravage, scath, perversion, prostitution, vitiation, discoloration, oxidation, pollution, defoedation, poisoning, venenation, leaven, contamination, canker, corruption, adulteration, alloy, decline, declension, declination, decadence, decadency, falling off, caducity, decrepitude, decay, dilapidation, ravages of time, wear and tear, corrosion, erosion, moldiness, rottenness, moth and rust, dry rot, blight, marasmus, atrophy, collapse, disorganization, delabrement (destruction), aphid, Aphis, plant louse, puceron, vinefretter, vinegrub, wreck, mere wreck, honeycomb, magni nominis umbra, jade, plug, rackabones, skate, tackey, tacky, have seen better days, deteriorate, degenerate, fall off, wane, ebb, retrograde, decline, droop, go down, go downhill, go from bad to worse, go farther and fare worse, jump out of the frying pan into the fire, run to seed, go to seed, run to waste swale, sweal, lapse, be the worse for, sphacelate: break, break down, spring a leak, crack, start, shrivel, fade, go off, wither, molder, rot, rankle, decay, go bad, go to decay, fall into decay, fall into the sear and yellow leaf, rust, crumble, shake, totter, totter to its fall, perish, die, deteriorate, weaken, put back, set back, taint, infect, contaminate, poison, empoison, envenom, canker, corrupt, exulcerate, pollute, vitiate, inquinate, debase, embase, denaturalize, denature, leaven, deflower, debauch, defile, deprave, degrade, ulcerate, stain, discolor, alloy, adulterate, sophisticate, tamper with, prejudice, pervert, prostitute, demoralize, brutalize, render vicious, embitter, acerbate, exacerbate, aggravate, injure, impair, labefy, damage, harm, hurt, shend, scath, scathe, spoil, mar, despoil, dilapidate, waste, overrun, ravage, pillage, wound, stab, pierce, maim, lame, surbate, cripple, hough, hamstring, hit between wind and water, scotch, mangle, mutilate, disfigure, blemish, deface, warp, blight, rot, corrode, erode, wear away, wear out, gnaw, gnaw at the root of, sap, mine, undermine, shake, sap the foundations of, break up, disorganize, dismantle, dismast, destroy, damnify, do one's worst, knock down, deal a blow to, play havoc with, play sad havoc with, play the mischief with, play the deuce with, play the very devil with, play havoc among, play sad havoc among, play the mischief among, play the deuce among, play the very devil among, decimate, Adj, unimproved &c (improve), deteriorated, altered, altered for the worse, injured, sprung, withering, spoiling, on the wane, on the decline, tabid, degenerate, marescent, worse, the worse for, all the worse for, out of repair, out of tune, imperfect, the worse for wear, battered, weathered, weather-beaten, stale, passe, shaken, dilapidated, frayed, faded, wilted, shabby, secondhand, threadbare, worn, worn to a thread, worn to a shadow, worn to the stump, worn to rags, reduced, reduced to a skeleton, far gone, tacky, decayed, moth-eaten, worm-eaten, mildewed, rusty, moldy, spotted, seedy, time-worn, moss-grown, discolored, effete, wasted, crumbling, moldering, rotten, cankered, blighted, tainted, depraved, decrepid, decrepit, broke, busted, broken, out of commission, hors de combat, out of action, broken down, done, done for, done up, worn out, used up, finished, beyond saving, fit for the dust hole, fit for the wastepaper basket, past work, at a low ebb, in a bad way, on one's last legs, undermined, deciduous, nodding to its fall, tottering, past cure, fatigued, retrograde, deleterious, out of the frying pan into the fire, agrescit medendo, what a falling off was there!.

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.