poison
/'pɔizn/
Definition
Noun:
- A substance that causes injury, illness, or death to a living organism when introduced or absorbed: A chemical or biological agent that disrupts normal physiological functions.
- (Figurative) Something that has a harmful or corrupting influence: An idea, feeling, or situation that damages or destroys something positive.
Verb:
- To administer poison to (someone or something): To give a toxic substance with the intent to harm or kill.
- To kill, injure, or infect with poison: To cause death or illness through a toxic substance.
- To contaminate or spoil with a harmful substance: To add a toxic element to something.
- (Figurative) To have a harmful or corrupting effect on: To ruin or damage something intangible, such as a relationship, atmosphere, or mind.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- The lab tested the liquid to see if it contained a deadly poison.
- Gossip can be a poison that destroys trust within a community.
- Verb:
- The hunter used a special dart to poison the animal.
- Industrial waste can poison the local water supply.
- His constant negativity began to poison the team's morale.
Advanced Usage
- "What's your poison?": (Idiomatic, informal) A humorous way to ask someone what alcoholic drink they would like.
- At the bar, he smiled and asked, "So, what's your poison?"
- To act as a poison pill: (Business/Finance) A strategy used by a company to make itself less attractive to a hostile takeover attempt.
- The board adopted a poison pill provision to deter the corporate raider.
Variants and Related Words
- Poisonous (adj): Containing poison; capable of causing harm or death.
- That plant is highly poisonous to cats.
- Poisoner (n): A person who poisons someone or something.
- Poisoning (n): The action of administering poison or the state of being affected by poison.
- He was hospitalized for food poisoning.
Synonyms
- Toxin (n): A poisonous substance, especially one produced by a living organism.
- Venom (n): A poisonous substance secreted by animals (e.g., snakes, spiders) and typically injected by biting or stinging.
- Contaminate (v): To make something impure or harmful by adding a poisonous or polluting substance.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Poison against: To influence someone to feel strong dislike or distrust towards someone or something.
- He tried to poison his colleagues against the new manager with false rumors.
Related Idioms
- One man's meat is another man's poison: What is good or enjoyable for one person may be bad or harmful for another.
- I love extreme sports, but my brother thinks they're terrifying. One man's meat is another man's poison.
- Hate someone/thing like poison: To detest someone or something intensely.
- The two rivals hated each other like poison.
Noun
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anything that harms or destroys
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the poison of fascism
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any substance that causes injury or illness or death of a living organism
Verb
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administer poison to
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She poisoned her husband but he did not die
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kill by its poison
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This mushrooms can poison
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add poison to
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Her husband poisoned her drink in order to kill her
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kill with poison
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She poisoned her husband
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spoil as if by poison
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poison someone's mind
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poison the atmosphere in the office
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