poi·son (poi z n)n. 1. A substance that causes injury, illness, or death, especially by chemical means. 2. Something destructive or fatal. 3. Chemistry & Physics A substance that inhibits another substance or a reaction: a catalyst poison. tr.v. poi·soned, poi·son·ing, poi·sons 1. To kill or harm with poison. 2. To put poison on or into: poisoning arrows; poisoned the drink. 3. a. To pollute: Noxious fumes poison the air. See Synonyms at contaminate. b. To have a harmful influence on; corrupt: Jealousy poisoned their friendship. 4. Chemistry & Physics To inhibit (a substance or reaction). adj. Poisonous. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin p  ti, ptin-, drink; see p(i)- in Indo-European roots.]poi son·er n.Word History: The phrase poison potion, besides being alliterative, also consists of doublets, that is, two words that go back ultimately to the same source in another language. The source for both words is Latin p ti (stem form ptin-), which meant "the act of drinking, a drink, or a draft, as of a medicine or poison." Our word potion, which retains the sense "dose," passed through Old French (pocion) on its way to Middle English (pocion), first recorded in a work composed around 1300. In Old French pocion is a learned borrowing, one that was deliberately taken from Latin in a form corresponding to the Latin form. Our spelling potion is the result of a similar impulse toward Latinization; in the late Renaissance and Enlightenment, numerous English words that had been borrowed from Old French were respelled according to the shape of their Latin ancestors. Pocion thus was changed to potion on the model of Latin pti. But the Latin word had also passed through Vulgar Latin into Old French in the different form poison. This word meant "beverage," "liquid dose," and also "poison beverage, poison." The word poison is first recorded in Middle English in a work composed around 1200. |
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  poisoning - the physiological state produced by a poison or other toxic substancephysical condition, physiological condition, physiological state - the condition or state of the body or bodily functions alkali poisoning - poisoning resulting from the ingestion of an alkali compound (as lye or ammonia) caffeine intoxication, caffeinism - poisoning resulting from excessive intake of caffeine containing products carbon monoxide poisoning - a toxic condition that results from inhaling and absorbing carbon monoxide gas; "carbon monoxide combines with hemoglobin and displaces oxygen in the blood" cyanide poisoning - poisoning due to ingesting or inhaling cyanide; common in smoke from fires and in industrial chemicals ergotism - poisoning by ingestion of ergot-infected grain products; characterized by thirst and diarrhea and nausea and cramping and vomiting and abnormal cardiac rhythms; in severe cases it can cause seizures and gangrene of the limbs mercury poisoning - a toxic condition caused by ingesting or inhaling mercury; acute mercury poisoning causes a metallic taste and vomiting and diarrhea and kidney problems that may lead to death naphthalene poisoning - toxic condition resulting from inhaling or ingesting naphthalene nicotine poisoning - toxic condition caused by the ingestion or inhalation of large amounts of nicotine ophidism - poisoning by snake venom paraquat poisoning - poisoning caused by ingestion of paraquat; characterized by progressive damage to the esophagus and liver and kidneys pesticide poisoning - toxic condition resulting from ingesting or inhaling a pesticide salicylate poisoning - poisoning caused by the excessive ingestion of salicylates (usually aspirin) |
| 2. | poisoning - the act of giving poison to a person or animal with the intent to kill gassing - the deliberate act of poisoning some person or animal with gas |
Translations
| ?Page tools | ||
|---|---|---|
|