poison

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See also: poisson and Poisson

English[edit]

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Etymology[edit]

From Middle English poisoun, poyson, poysone, puyson, puisun, from Old French puison, poison, from Latin pōtio, pōtiōnis (“drink, a draught, a poisonous draught, a potion”), from pōtō (“I drink”). Displaced native Old English ator. See also potion and potable.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

poison (countable and uncountable, plural poisons)

  1. A substance that is harmful or lethal to a living organism.
    We used a poison to kill the weeds.
    • 1599, Shakespeare, William, THE MOST EX-cellent and lamentable Tragedie, of Romeo and Iuliet. Newly corrected, augmented, and amended: As it hath bene ſundry times publiquely acted, by the right Honourable the Lord Chamberlaine his Serunts.‎[1], 2nd Quarto, London: Printed by Thomas Creede, for Cuthbert Burby, and are to be ſold at his ſhop neare the Exchange., Act V, scene iii:
      […] I will kiſſe thy lips,
      Happlie ſome poyſon yet doth hang on them,
      To make me dye with a reſtoratiue.
      Thy lips are warme.
  2. Something that harms a person or thing.
    Gossip is a malicious poison.
  3. (informal) A drink; liquor.
    — What's your poison?
    — I'll have a glass of whisky.

Synonyms[edit]

Derived terms[edit]

Terms related to poison

Translations[edit]

Verb[edit]

poison (third-person singular simple present poisons, present participle poisoning, simple past and past participle poisoned)

  1. (transitive) To use poison to kill or paralyse somebody
    The assassin poisoned the king.
  2. (transitive) To pollute; to cause some part of the environment to become poisonous
    That factory is poisoning the river.
  3. (transitive) To cause something to become much worse
    Suspicion will poison their relationship.
    He poisoned the mood in the room with his non-stop criticism.
  4. (transitive) To cause someone to hate or to have unfair negative opinions
    She's poisoned him against all his old friends.

Synonyms[edit]

Derived terms[edit]

Terms derived from poison

Translations[edit]

References[edit]

French[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Old French, inherited from Latin pōtio, pōtiōnis. Doublet of potion, a borrowing.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

poison m (plural poisons)

  1. poison
    Poisson sans boisson est poison — Fish gotta swim.

Derived terms[edit]

Further reading[edit]

Middle English[edit]

Noun[edit]

poison

  1. Alternative form of poisoun

Old French[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Latin pōtio, pōtiōnis.

Noun[edit]

poison f (oblique plural poisons, nominative singular poison, nominative plural poisons)

  1. poison
  2. potion

Descendants[edit]

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