I. ˈpȯiz ə n, dial ˈpīz- noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English poisoun, poison, from Old French poison drink, philter, poisonous drink, poison, from Latin potion-, potio drink, from potus (past participle of potare to drink) + -ion-, -io -ion — more at potable
1.
a. : a substance (as a drug) that in suitable quantities has properties harmful or fatal to an organism when it is brought into contact with or absorbed by the organism : a substance that through its chemical action usually kills, injures, or impairs an organism
strychnine, carbon monoxide, and other poisons
— compare economic poison , pesticide , toxin , venom
b.
(1) : something destructive or harmful to the success, prosperity, or happiness of something else
were generally considered boxoffice poison — Edith Isaacs
are plain political poison — J.T.Norman
(2) : something that undermines, interferes with, or blights the progress, activity, or welfare of something else
her life was ruined by the poison of lying gossip
(3) : something that causes something else to become tainted, corrupted, rotten, or perverted
the poison of bad example
c.
(1) : something obnoxious, disgusting, or nauseating
most stage juveniles, especially in musicals, are pure poison — John Mason Brown
(2) : something totally at variance with one's tastes or inclinations : an object of aversion or abhorrence : something to be avoided
diversions of that kind were pure poison to him
2. slang : alcoholic drink ; especially : strong liquor
3. : a substance that inhibits the activity of another substance or the course of a reaction or process (as catalytic action, fluorescence, thermionic emission, nuclear fission)
a catalyst poison
fission poisons
4. or poison circle or poison spot : a game in which each player of a circle of players tries to force another into a designated central area so as to make him it
Synonyms:
venom , virus , toxin , bane : poison now refers to any matter that is lethal or very noxious (as strychnine, arsenic, carbon monoxide) or to anything thought of as having a similar effect
a populace whose emotional life has been drugged by the sugared poison of pseudo art — Roger Fry
the nineteenth century had brought this new poison of mystic tribalism into the common life of Europe — Stringfellow Barr
venom may refer to a poison interjected with fierce malignant hostility
the venom of the rattlesnake
virus may refer to a submicroscopic agency of infection working with insidious deadliness or deleteriousness
the virus of infantile paralysis
toxin , less used in figurative senses than others in this group, may refer to a destructive toxic substance generated within a plant or animal body
the bacterial toxins, such as those of the organisms causing diphtheria, tetanus and botulism — W.A.Hagan
bane may apply to any cause of ruin, destruction, or great tribulation; in compounds it may designate poisonous substances and things
the military mania which has been the bane of some countries
rats bane
II. verb
( poisoned ; poisoned ; poisoning -z( ə )niŋ ; poisons )
Etymology: Middle English poisonen, from poisoun, poison, n.
transitive verb
1.
a.
(1) : to give poison to : kill or injure by means of poison
was accused of poisoning her husband
(2) : to put poison on or into
poisoning an arrow
poisoned the water
(3) : to taint, infect, or impregnate with poison
poisoned the air with its fumes
b. : to produce an abnormal condition in through the action of a poison or toxic substance
blood that has been poisoned by infection
2.
a.
(1) : to exert a baneful influence on : corrupt , vitiate , pervert
poisoning minds with evil propaganda
(2) : to cause to be unfavorably disposed toward a person
malicious tales of that kind poisoned nearly everyone against him
b.
(1) : to destroy, harm, or otherwise affect adversely as if by poison
aching in mind and body, poisoned with fatigue — Felix Riesenberg
(2) : to taint, infect, or impregnate as if with poison
even such harmless pleasures were poisoned with suspicion — Virginia Woolf
c. : to make unfit (as for some indicated or implied use or purpose) through the addition or application of something
poisoned the soup with too much salt
parts of it were so dry and poisoned with alkali dust that no life existed there — S.H.Adams
3.
a. : to inhibit the activity of (as a catalyst) — compare promote
b. : to inhibit the course or occurrence of (as a reaction or phenomenon)
intransitive verb
: to put poison into or on something
was in the lower field next day, poisoning — G.S.Perry
III. adjective
Etymology: poison (I)
1. : poisonous
a poison plant
a poison drink
: venomous
talk about poison tongues — Dan Wickenden
2. : poisoned
a poison arrow
IV. adverb
chiefly dialect : extremely , very
was poison pretty — Maristan Chapman
is a poison bad world — R.L.Stevenson