poison

Pluralpoisons

Formspoisons, poisoning, poisoned

1. 1
   deadly substancenouncountable or uncountable

   Something that can make a living thing very sick or kill it if it gets into the body.

   Like a hidden enemy in food or drink that can hurt your body.

   Some mushrooms contain a poison that can kill you.

   Keep all poison locked away from young children.

   UsageA snake's poison is usually called venom.

   Similartoxin

   Oppositeantidote

   Note
2. 2
   harm (living thing)verbtransitive

   To hurt or kill a person or animal by giving them poison.

   He was afraid someone would poison his horse before the race.

   Someone may have poisoned the dog next door.

   UsageOften poison someone with something.

3. 3
   make toxicverbtransitive

   To make water, air, or land dirty and harmful.

   The factory poisoned the river with its waste.

   Smoke from the fires can poison the air for miles.

   Similarpollute, contaminate, taint

   Oppositepurify, decontaminate

4. 4
   harmful thingnounfigurativelycountable or uncountable

   Something that slowly hurts a person, group, or relationship.

   Jealousy can be a poison in any friendship.

   Too much screen time felt like poison to her sleep.

   UsageOften is poison or is a poison.

   Similarcancer, canker, blight, bane

   Note
5. 5
   make worseverbtransitive

   To make something become much worse than before.

   One rude comment can poison the whole party.

   Money problems slowly poisoned their happy home.

   Similarcorrupt, taint

6. 6
   breed hatredverbtransitive

   To make someone hate or have unfair bad feelings about another.

   He tried to poison his sister against their new stepmother.

   Lies can poison how children see their own country.

   UsageUsually poison someone against someone.

   Similarprejudice, turn, bias

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