[hem.lock] n [ME hemlok, fr. OE hemlic] (bef. 12c) 1 a: any of several poisonous herbs (as a poison hemlock or a water hemlock) of the carrot family having finely cut leaves and small white flowers b: a drug or lethal drink prepared from the poison hemlock (Conium maculatum)
2: any of a genus (Tsuga) of evergreen coniferous trees of the pine family; also: the soft light splintery wood of a hemlock