poisonous

  • 1poisonous — poisonous, venomous, virulent, toxic, mephitic, pestilent, pestilential, miasmic, miasmatic, miasmal are comparable when they mean having the properties or the effects of poison (see POISON) Basically poisonous implies that the thing so described …

    New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • 2Poisonous — Poi son*ous, a. Having the qualities or effects of poison; venomous; baneful; corrupting; noxious. Shak. {Poi son*ous*ly}, adv. {Poi son*ous*ness}, n. [1913 Webster] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 3poisonous — index deadly, deleterious, fatal, harmful, incendiary, insalubrious, lethal, malevolent, malignant …

    Law dictionary

  • 4poisonous — (adj.) 1570s, from POISON (Cf. poison) + OUS (Cf. ous). Other candidates for the job were poisonsome (1590s), poisonful (1550s) …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 5poisonous — ► ADJECTIVE 1) producing or of the nature of poison. 2) extremely unpleasant or malicious. DERIVATIVES poisonously adverb …

    English terms dictionary

  • 6poisonous — [poi′zə nəs] adj. capable of injuring or killing by or as by poison; containing, or having the effects of, a poison; toxic; venomous poisonously adv. poisonousness n …

    English World dictionary

  • 7poisonous — poi|son|ous [ˈpɔızənəs] adj 1.) containing poison or producing poison ▪ Some mushrooms are extremely poisonous. ▪ poisonous gases such as hydrogen sulfide ▪ poisonous substances ▪ She was bitten on the ankle by a poisonous snake . poisonous to ▪… …

    Dictionary of contemporary English

  • 8poisonous — [[t]pɔ͟ɪz(ə)nəs[/t]] 1) ADJ GRADED Something that is poisonous will kill you or make you ill if you swallow or absorb it. All parts of the yew tree are poisonous, including the berries. ...a large cloud of poisonous gas. Syn: toxic 2) ADJ GRADED… …

    English dictionary

  • 9poisonous — poisonously, adv. poisonousness, n. /poy zeuh neuhs/, adj. 1. full of or containing poison: poisonous air; a poisonous substance. 2. harmful; destructive: poisonous to animals; poisonous rumors. 3. deeply malicious; malevolent: poisonous efforts …

    Universalium

  • 10poisonous — adjective 1 containing poison or producing poison: poisonous mushrooms | poisonous snakes 2 full of unpleasant and unfriendly feelings: There was a poisonous atmosphere in the household that made Bonita feel very uneasy. 3 someone who is… …

    Longman dictionary of contemporary English