Library / English Dictionary

POISON

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Anything that harms or destroys

Example:

the poison of fascism

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("poison" is a kind of...):

destructiveness (the quality of causing destruction)

Derivation:

poison (spoil as if by poison)

poisonous (marked by deep ill will; deliberately harmful)

poisonous (having the qualities or effects of a poison)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Any substance that causes injury or illness or death of a living organism

Synonyms:

poison; poisonous substance; toxicant

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Hypernyms ("poison" is a kind of...):

substance (a particular kind or species of matter with uniform properties)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "poison"):

atropine (a poisonous crystalline alkaloid extracted from the nightshade family; used as an antispasmodic and to dilate the eye pupil; also administered in large amounts as an antidote for organophosphate nerve agents or organophosphate insecticides)

hyoscyamine (a poisonous crystalline alkaloid (isometric with atropine but more potent); used to treat excess motility of the gastrointestinal tract)

toxin (a poisonous substance produced during the metabolism and growth of certain microorganisms and some higher plant and animal species)

Derivation:

poison (add poison to)

poison (kill with poison)

poison (kill by its poison)

poisonous (not safe to eat)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Administer poison to

Example:

She poisoned her husband but he did not die

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "poison" is one way to...):

dose; drug (administer a drug to)

Verb group:

poison (kill by its poison)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "poison"):

intoxicate (have an intoxicating effect on, of a drug)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Derivation:

poisoning (the act of giving poison to a person or animal with the intent to kill)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Add poison to

Example:

Her husband poisoned her drink in order to kill her

Synonyms:

envenom; poison

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "poison" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

poison (any substance that causes injury or illness or death of a living organism)

poisoning (the act of giving poison to a person or animal with the intent to kill)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Kill with poison

Example:

She poisoned her husband

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "poison" is one way to...):

kill (cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly)

Verb group:

poison (kill by its poison)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

They want to poison the prisoners

Derivation:

poison (any substance that causes injury or illness or death of a living organism)

poisoner (someone who kills with poison)

poisoning (the act of giving poison to a person or animal with the intent to kill)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Kill by its poison

Example:

This mushrooms can poison

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "poison" is one way to...):

kill (cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly)

Verb group:

poison (administer poison to)

poison (kill with poison)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s somebody

Derivation:

poison (any substance that causes injury or illness or death of a living organism)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Spoil as if by poison

Example:

poison the atmosphere in the office

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "poison" is one way to...):

corrupt; debase; debauch; demoralise; demoralize; deprave; misdirect; pervert; profane; subvert; vitiate (corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s somebody

Derivation:

poison (anything that harms or destroys)

Credits

 Context examples: 

On the outside was written “Radix pedis diaboli” with a red poison label beneath it.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Sooner would I bite living toad or poisoned snake.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The branch of toxicology that tries to understand the health effects of poisons by understanding the way that genes, proteins, and molecules interact.

(Molecular Toxicology, NCI Thesaurus)

The science concerned with drugs together with the science concerned with the detection, chemical composition, and pharmacologic action of toxic substances or poisons and the treatment and prevention of toxic manifestations.

(Pharmacology and Toxicology, NCI Thesaurus)

A frightful selfishness hurried me on, while my heart was poisoned with remorse.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

There is a poison in my blood, in my soul, which may destroy me; which must destroy me, unless some relief comes to us.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

This association between taste and symptoms of poisoning also arises even if the stomach upset occurs several hours after having eaten.

(Researchers identify area of the amygdala involved in taste aversion, University of Granada)

The red fox made him say all this, I knew, to exhibit him to me in the light he had indicated on the night when he poisoned my rest.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

But at last the poison worked.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I only remind you of your own words, sir: you said error brought remorse, and you pronounced remorse the poison of existence.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)