"poison" - meanings, definitions, synonyms, thesaurus and antonyms

\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.