poison

[ poi-zuhn ]

/ ˈpɔɪ zən /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR poison ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a substance with an inherent property that tends to destroy life or impair health.

something harmful or pernicious, as to happiness or well-being: the poison of slander.

Slang. any variety of alcoholic liquor: Name your poison!

verb (used with object)

to administer poison to (a person or animal).

to kill or injure with or as if with poison.

to put poison into or upon; saturate with poison: to poison food.

to ruin, vitiate, or corrupt: Hatred had poisoned his mind.

Chemistry. to destroy or diminish the activity of (a catalyst or enzyme).

adjective

causing poisoning; poisonous: a poison shrub.

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a person who acts as though he or she knows everything and who dismisses the opinions, comments, or suggestions of others.

a person who spends possessions or money extravagantly or wastefully; spendthrift.

a well-intentioned but naive and often ineffectual social or political reformer.

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Origin of poison

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English puisun, from Old French, from Latin pōtiōn- (stem of pōtiō) “drink, potion, poisonous draught.” See potion.

SYNONYMS FOR poison

7 contaminate, pollute, taint.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR poison ON THESAURUS.COM

synonym study for poison

1. Poison, toxin, venom are terms for any substance that injures the health or destroys life when absorbed into the system, especially of a higher animal. Poison is the general word: a poison for insects. A toxin is a poison produced by an organism; it is especially used in medicine in reference to disease-causing bacterial secretions: A toxin produces diphtheria. Venom is especially used of the poisons secreted by certain animals, usually injected by bite or sting: the venom of a snake.

OTHER WORDS FROM poison

poi·son·er, nounpoi·son·less, adjectivepoi·son·less·ness, nounoutpoison, verb (used with object)

self-poi·son·er, nounun·poi·soned, adjective

Words nearby poison

poised, poiser, Poiseuille's law, Poiseuille's space, poisha, poison, poison-arrow frog, poison bean, poison dogwood, poison gas, poison haw

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for poison

Leapolitan responded by saying, “hopefully youll [sic] bite into a poison apple.”
Grindr’s Trans Dating Problem|David Levesley|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
And some members of the Lizard Squad are now claiming that they were never trying to poison the network.
The Attack on the Hidden Internet|Marc Rogers|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Infernal, it can cause fires and explosions; toxic, it can debilitate, poison, and kill.
The Fiery Underground Oil Pit Eating L.A.|Geoff Manaugh|December 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Then came the horrors of World War I, with the advent of tanks and airplanes and poison gas.
How Clausewitz Invented Modern War|James A. Warren|November 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST

“Either you poison yourselves or you take this which shoots,” the boss says.
Days of Mafia Mayhem Are Wracking Italy Once Again|Barbie Latza Nadeau|November 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Examine him, gentlemen, and see if there is no poison capable of producing similar symptoms.
Scenes from a Courtesan's Life|Honore de Balzac
Great activity and worry is needless—it is poison to the soul.
Shandygaff|Christopher Morley
It was as a poison flowing in his veins and giving him an impulse to bite like a mad dog.
The Works of Guy de Maupassant, Volume VIII.|Guy de Maupassant
He filled her breast with the poison of asps, her eyes with the venom of the adder that lures to destruction.
Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume VI|Various
We gave them strong waters—they tasted the poison—they loved it—and lo!
Traditions of the North American Indians, Vol. 3 (of 3)|James Athearn Jones

British Dictionary definitions for poison

poison

/ (ˈpɔɪzən) /

noun

any substance that can impair function, cause structural damage, or otherwise injure the bodyRelated adjective: toxic

something that destroys, corrupts, etcthe poison of fascism

a substance that retards a chemical reaction or destroys or inhibits the activity of a catalyst

a substance that absorbs neutrons in a nuclear reactor and thus slows down the reaction. It may be added deliberately or formed during fission

what's your poison? informal what would you like to drink?

verb (tr)

to give poison to (a person or animal) esp with intent to kill

to add poison to

to taint or infect with or as if with poison

(foll by against) to turn (a person's mind) againsthe poisoned her mind against me

to retard or stop (a chemical or nuclear reaction) by the action of a poison

to inhibit or destroy (the activity of a catalyst) by the action of a poison

Derived forms of poison

poisoner, noun

Word Origin for poison

C13: from Old French puison potion, from Latin pōtiō a drink, esp a poisonous one, from pōtāre to drink

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for poison

poison

[ poi′zən ]

n.

A substance taken internally or applied externally that is injurious to health or dangerous to life.

A chemical substance that inhibits another substance or a reaction.

v.

To kill or harm with poison.

Idioms and Phrases with poison

poison

In addition to the idiom beginning with poison

, also see

one man's meat is another man's poison

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poison