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Definitions for: Poison
[n] anything that harms or destroys; "the poison of fascism"
[n] any substance that causes injury or illness or death of a living organism
[v] administer poison to; "She poisoned her husband"
[v] add poison to; "Her husband poisoned her drink in order to kill her"
[v] kill with poison; "She poisoned her husband"
[v] kill by its poison; "This mushrooms can kill"
[v] spoil as if by poison; "poison someone's mind"; "poison the atmosphere in the office"
Webster (1913) Definition: Poi"son, 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.]
1. 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.
2. That which taints or destroys moral purity or health; as,
the poison of evil example; the poison of sin.
Poison ash. (Bot.)
(a) A tree of the genus Amyris (A. 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 (Zo["o]l.), 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 ({Rhus
Toxicodendron}) of North America. It is common on stone
walls and on the trunks of trees, and has trifoliate,
rhombic-ovate, variously notched leaves. Many people are
poisoned by it, if they touch the leaves. See {Poison
sumac}. Called also poison oak, and 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.), the poison ivy; also, the more shrubby
Rhus diversiloba of California and Oregon.
Poison sac. (Zo["o]l.) Same as Poison gland, above. See
Illust. under Fang.
Poison sumac (Bot.), a poisonous shrub of the genus Rhus
(R. venenata); -- 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 ({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.
Usage: Poison, Venom. Poison usually denotes something
received into the system by the mouth, breath, etc.
Venom is something discharged from animals and
received by means of a wound, as by the bite or sting
of serpents, scorpions, etc. Hence, venom specifically
implies some malignity of nature or purpose.
Poi"son, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Poisoned; p. pr. & vb.
n. Poisoning.] [Cf. OF. poisonner, F. empoissoner, L.
potionare to give to drink. See Poison, n.]
1. To put poison upon or into; to infect with poison; as, to
poison an arrow; to poison food or drink. ``The
ingredients of our poisoned chalice.'' --Shak.
2. To injure or kill by poison; to administer poison to.
If you poison us, do we not die ? --Shak.
3. To taint; to corrupt; to vitiate; as, vice poisons
happiness; slander poisoned his mind.
Whispering tongues can poison truth. --Coleridge.
Poi"son, v. i.
To act as, or convey, a poison.
Tooth that poisons if it bite. --Shak.
Synonyms: envenom, poisonous substance
See Also: alter, atropine, change, corrupt, debase, debauch, demoralise, demoralize, deprave, destructiveness, dose, drug, hyoscyamine, intoxicate, kill, matter, misdirect, pervert, profane, substance, subvert, toxin, vitiate
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