poison

poison n Poison, venom, virus, toxin, bane mean matter or a substance that when present in an organism or intro-duced into it produces an injurious or deadly effect.

Poison is the most inclusive of these words and is applicable to any deadly or noxious substance whether introduced into or produced within the body of an organism

{

killed by a poison-barbed arrow

}

{

carbon monoxide gas, when inhaled, is a deadly poison

}

{

keeping poisons out of the reach of children

}

{

many alkaloids are dangerous poisons

}

In extended use poison applies to whatever is felt to have the destructive effect of a physical poison

{

fear uncontrolled is a poison that destroys all self-confidence

}

Venom basically means a fluid containing a poison secreted by an animal (as a snake, scorpion, or bee) and injected into another animal during offensive or defensive action, usually by a bite or sting

{

man spurns the worm, but pauses ere he wake the slumbering venom of the folded snake— Byron

}

The term is occasionally extended to a poisonous secretion of a plant and in more general extended use applies especially to states of mind or utterances that are felt to have the malign quality of an animal venom

{

their belief in venom and jealousy behind the war— Paxson

}

{

spouting angry venom about his neighbors

}

Virus (see also GERM) once equivalent to venom, retains this value only in extended use and then applies to something felt to have a corrupting quality that can poison the mind or spirit

{

the force of this virus of prejudice— V. S. Waters

}

Toxin applies to a complex organic poison that is a product of the metabolic activities of a living organism, is extremely poisonous when introduced into the tissues but usually destroyed by the digestive juices, and is usually able to induce antibody formation

{

bacterial toxins, such as those of botulism and tetanus

}

Bane may apply to any cause of ruin, destruction, or tribulation

{

his wife is the bane of his life

}

and in compounds denotes poison or something (as a plant) containing poison

{

ratsbane

}

{

henbane contains a poison resembling belladonna

}