jimson-weed

A gardener carefully removes jimson-weed from the vegetable patch.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A poisonous plant: "jimson-weed" refers to a tall, coarse annual plant (Datura stramonium) with large trumpet-shaped white or violet flowers and spiny seed capsules. It is highly toxic and contains alkaloids that can cause hallucinations, delirium, and even death if ingested.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The farmer warned the children not to touch the jimson-weed growing near the barn. (A poisonous plant with spiny fruits.)
  • Jimson-weed is often considered a nuisance weed in pastures and fields. (An unwanted plant that can harm livestock.)

Advanced Usage

• "jimson-weed poisoning": a medical condition caused by ingesting parts of the plant.
  • The hiker was hospitalized for jimson-weed poisoning after mistakenly eating its seeds. (A toxic reaction from consuming the plant.)

Variants and Related Words

• Jimsonweed (n): an alternative spelling of "jimson-weed," often used interchangeably.

  • Jimsonweed is also known as devil's trumpet or thorn apple. (A common name for the same plant.)

• Datura (n): the genus to which jimson-weed belongs.

  • Datura species are known for their psychoactive and toxic properties. (A group of plants including jimson-weed.)

Synonyms

• Devil's trumpet: a common name for jimson-weed, referring to its trumpet-shaped flowers.

  • Devil's trumpet is a dangerous plant to have in gardens. (Another name for jimson-weed.)

• Thorn apple: a name derived from its spiny fruit.

  • Thorn apple is widespread in temperate regions. (A synonym for jimson-weed.)

Related Idioms

• "crazy as a jimson-weed": a colloquial expression (rare) meaning extremely irrational or delirious, referencing the plant's hallucinogenic effects.
  • After the accident, he was acting crazy as a jimson-weed. (Behaving in a wildly confused manner.)