Syn. — Venom; virus; bane; pest; malignity. — 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.
Poison
(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. Poison
(Poi"son), v. i. To act as, or convey, a poison.
Tooth that poisons if it bite.
Shak. Poisonable
(Poi"son*a*ble) a.
1. Capable of poisoning; poisonous. [Obs.] "Poisonable heresies." Tooker.
2. Capable of being poisoned.
Poisoner
(Poi"son*er) n. One who poisons. Shak.
Poisonous
(Poi"son*ous) a. Having the qualities or effects of poison; venomous; baneful; corrupting; noxious.
Shak. — Poi"son*ous*ly, adv. — Poi"son*ous*ness, n.
Poisonsome
(Poi"son*some) a. Poisonous.[Obs.] Holland.
Poisure
(Poi"sure) n. [See Poise.] Weight. [Obs.]
Poitrel
(Poi"trel) n. [OE. poitrel, F. poitrail, fr. L. pectorale a breastplate, fr. pectoralis, a. See Pectoral,
a.] (Anc. Armor) The breastplate of the armor of a horse. See Peytrel. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Poize
(Poize) n. See Poise. [Obs.]
Pokal
(Po*kal") n. [G.] A tall drinking cup.
Poke
(Poke) n. (Bot.) A large North American herb of the genus Phytolacca (P. decandra), bearing
dark purple juicy berries; — called also garget, pigeon berry, pocan, and pokeweed. The root and
berries have emetic and purgative properties, and are used in medicine. The young shoots are sometimes
eaten as a substitute for asparagus, and the berries are said to be used in Europe to color wine.
Poke
(Poke), n. [AS. poca, poha, pohha; akin to Icel. poki, OD. poke, and perh. to E. pock; cf. also
Gael. poca, and OF. poque. Cf. Pock, Pocket, Pouch.]
1. A bag; a sack; a pocket. "He drew a dial from his poke." Shak.
They wallowed as pigs in a poke.
Chaucer.
