Webster's English Dictionary

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poison

1. poi.son \'po.iz-*n\ n [ME, fr. OF, drink, poisonous drink, poison, fr. L 
   potion-, potio d]rink - more at POTION 1a: a substance that through its 
   chemical action usu. kills, injures, or im pairs an organism 1b1: something 
   destructive or harmful  1b2: an object of aversion or abhorrence  2: a 
   substance that inhibits the activity of another substance or the cours e of 
   a reaction or process {a catalyst ~}
2. poison \'po.iz-nin, -*n-in\ vb or poi.son.ing 1a: to injure or kill with 
   poison  1b: to treat, taint, or impregnate with poison  2: to exert a 
   baneful influence on : CORRUPT  3: to inhibit the activity, course, or 
   occurrence of  : to put poison into or on something 
3. poison aj 1: POISONOUS {a ~ plant} : VENOMOUS {a ~ t ongue} 2: POISONED 
   {a ~ arrow}