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poison

poison

439 2.1
A substance that makes people, animals, or plants very ill and can cause death
  • noun
  • /ˈpɔɪzən/
: veneno
  • "Perhaps I can use my own magic to dispel the poison from my body," he ventured quietly.
  • poison gas
  • take poison
  • use poison

Are you a painter and you're exposed to poison day in and day out?

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Examples

  • The doctors had to call European poison control.

  • Curare is a nerve poison which is used to tip arrows.

  • Uh, the water is poison, okay?

  • This poison, it's all that can save him.

  • We have enough poison and conflicts going on already.

  • Now, bleach is like poison and can kill you and make you very ill.

  • That's one of the most powerful poisons in nature.

  • Promise me that if you get any poison-pen letters, you'll bring them to me.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • The scientists identified the substance as a potent poison that could threaten local wildlife.

  • She had to be careful around the garden because some plants contained a natural poison that could be harmful.

Synonyms

toxin
vspoison
  • Specialized
143 5.3

A poisonous substance that some animals, plants, or bacteria make

can come from many sources, not only biological production
venom
vspoison
65 4.6

A poison some animals inject when they bite or sting

can also be harmful when swallowed or touched, not only when injected
neurotoxin
vspoison
  • Specialized
9 7.8

A poison that damages nerves and can stop movement

affects organisms more generally rather than focusing only on nerve damage
biotoxin
vspoison
  • Specialized
2 7.9

A poisonous substance made by a living thing like a plant, animal, or germ

can be synthetic or nonbiological, not limited to living origin
1 4.4

Something that can cause serious harm or death when swallowed, touched and breathed

is the shorter single word for the same harmful thing
bacterial toxin
vspoison
  • Specialized
1 3.9

A poisonous substance made by bacteria that they release or keep inside their cells

comes from many sources, not only microscopic living germs
plant toxin
vspoison
  • Specialized
1 4.6

A poison made by a plant that can harm people or animals

can also come from animals, microbes, or synthetic products
toxicant
vspoison
  • Specialized
1 9.5

A poisonous substance that can harm people and animals

is the general everyday name for the same harmful substance
cytotoxin
vspoison
  • Specialized
1 7.9

A substance that kills or damages cells

is broader and includes substances that harm in other ways than cells
animal toxin
vspoison
  • Specialized
1 4.7

A poison that animals make, for example snake or jellyfish venom

can also be manufactured or come from nonliving chemicals
phytotoxin
vspoison
  • Specialized
9.9

A poisonous substance made by a plant that can harm animals or crops

is a narrower source-specific label compared with the broader general term

Antonyms

antidote
  • Specialized
144 5.3

A medicine or substance that stops the harm caused by a poison

Idioms

4 9.2

To ask someone informally what alcoholic drink they want

my poison
  • Informal
1 9.3

A favourite drink or food that someone enjoys too much

Make people feel hurt, angry, or not trust you

one's poison
  • Informal
1 8.7

A treat someone likes to have to relax, often a drink with alcohol

Compounds

26 4.2

A climbing plant with three leaflets and white berries that causes an itchy rash when touched

poison gas
  • NSFW
16 5.7

A harmful gas used as a weapon that can kill or make people very sick if they breathe it

7 6.5

A climbing or spreading plant with oak-like leaves that makes oil causing skin rash

poison pill
  • Jargon
4 7.9

To make it hard for another company to take control by making the company's shares less attractive

1 8.4

A North American shrub or small tree with white berries and an oil that causes a skin rash

1 6.1

A skin rash caused by touching the plant's oil

1 8.5

An anonymous letter that says cruel things to hurt someone

1 4.1

A skin reaction that makes a red, itchy rash after touching the plant

A tall very poisonous plant with leaves like a fern and small white flowers

An unsigned angry letter written to hurt or insult someone

fly poison
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A poisonous plant with bulbs that people once used to kill flies

1 9.9

A plant from Europe and Asia with white flowers, hairy leaves, and black berries that can make people sick

1 9.9

A wild plant whose bulbs look like wild onions and can make animals or people sick

A plant that causes a skin rash when you touch it

A poisonous shrub on the west coast of North America that causes an itchy skin rash when touched

poison pea
  • Australian
1 9.9

An Australian evergreen shrub with bright yellow to red flowers that is poisonous to farm animals

bushman's poison
  • South African
9.9

An evergreen shrub or small tree from South Africa with poisonous sap used on hunting arrows

poison arrow plant
  • South African
9.9

A medium-sized evergreen shrub or tree from South Africa with thick leaves and purplish black berries

9.9

A North American swamp shrub with divided leaves and greenish-white berries that produces oil causing skin rashes

A climbing plant with three joined leaves and white berries that makes a skin rash when you touch it

A milkweed plant from the southwestern United States and Mexico that makes farm animals very sick

A tall plant with fernlike leaves and white flowers that can make animals or people very ill

poison bush
  • Australian
8.9

A plant from Australia with leaves and other parts that can make farm animals sick

A North American swamp shrub with greenish flowers and poisonous berries and oily parts that cause skin irritation

How Toxic

poison
439 2.1
neurotoxin
  • Specialized
9 7.8
toxin
  • Specialized
143 5.3
irritant
15 6.0
harmless
214 1.0

Surface Forms

poison singular
poisons plural

Etymology

Poison as a noun also comes from Latin potio ('a drink') and the idea of a dangerous liquid or potion. So a poison is a substance that can make a person or animal very sick or cause death.