— poisoner , n. — poisonless , adj. — poisonlessness , n.
/poy"zeuhn/ , n.
1. a substance with an inherent property that tends to destroy life or impair health.
2. something harmful or pernicious, as to happiness or well-being: the poison of slander.
3. Slang. any variety of alcoholic liquor: Name your poison!
v.t.
4. to administer poison to (a person or animal).
5. to kill or injure with or as if with poison.
6. to put poison into or upon; saturate with poison: to poison food.
7. to ruin, vitiate, or corrupt: Hatred had poisoned his mind.
8. Chem. to destroy or diminish the activity of (a catalyst or enzyme).
adj.
9. causing poisoning; poisonous: a poison shrub.
[ 1200-50; ME puisun potion- (s. of potio ) drink, POTION, poisonous draught ]
Syn. 1. POISON, TOXIN, VENOM are terms for any substance that injures the health or destroys life when absorbed into the system, esp. of a higher animal. POISON is the general word: a poison for insects. A TOXIN is a poison produced by an organism; it is esp. used in medicine in reference to disease-causing bacterial secretions: A toxin produces diphtheria. VENOM is esp. used of the poisons secreted by certain animals, usually injected by bite or sting: the venom of a snake. 7. contaminate, pollute, taint.