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Glite Dictionary
fly poison

fly poison

9.9
A poisonous plant with bulbs that people once used to kill flies
  • noun
  • /flaɪ ˈpɔɪzən/
  • Specialized
translation icon : planta venenosa
  • Farmers once used the bulb of fly poison to kill insects in their barns.

Examples

  • The white, star-shaped flowers of fly poison appear in early summer.

  • Be careful when hiking, as all parts of fly poison are highly toxic.

  • Farmers often use fly poison to protect their crops.

  • Have you ever heard of fly poison?

  • Farmers once used the bulb of fly poison to kill insects in their barns.

  • Be careful when hiking, as all parts of fly poison are highly toxic.

  • The white, star-shaped flowers of fly poison appear in early summer.

Synonyms

Amianthum muscitoxicum
vsfly poison
  • Specialized
9.9

A very poisonous plant whose bulb is used to kill flies

is the common name used for the same species focusing on bulb use
Amianthum
vsfly poison
  • Specialized
9.9

A North American plant with white flowers that is poisonous

is one specific species rather than the broader genus

Surface Forms

fly poison singular
fly poisons plural

Morphology

fly + poison

The phrase literally combines 'fly' + 'poison' and conveys 'a poison for flies' or by extension a plant used as fly poison; this composition is directly derivable from the constituent meanings. The noun-noun pattern 'X poison' (poison for X) is a common, cross-linguistically transparent construction, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer the MWE's meaning even if they haven't seen the specific plant name.

Etymology

Fly poison comes from farmers who used the plant's toxic bulb to kill insects, especially flies, in barns. So today fly poison means a poisonous plant that was used as an 'insect poison'.