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Any substance, either taken internally or applied externally, that is injurious to health or dangerous to life. [Fr., fr. L. potio, potion, draught]
- arrow p. 1. SYN: curare. 2. any natural toxin used for coating arrows, spears, and darts ( e.g., extracts containing aconitin, ouabain, cardiac glycosides, batrachotoxin, curare).
- fish p. 1. SYN: ichthyotoxicon. 2. SYN: fugu p..
- fugu p. (foo′goo) a p. in the roe and other parts of various species of Diodon, Triodon, and Tetradon, fishes of eastern Asiatic waters. SYN: fish p. (2). [Jap. fugu, a poisonous fish]
- respiratory p. SYN: respiratory inhibitor.
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poi·son 'pȯiz-ən n
1) a substance that through its chemical action usu. kills, injures, or impairs an organism
2) a substance that inhibits the activity of another substance or the course of a reaction or process <a catalyst \poison>
poison vt, poi·soned; poi·son·ing 'pȯiz-niŋ, -ən-iŋ
1) to injure or kill with poison
2) to treat, taint, or impregnate with poison
poison adj
1) POISONOUS <a \poison plant>
2) impregnated with poison <a \poison arrow>
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n.
any substance that irritates, damages, or impairs the activity of the body's tissues. In large enough doses almost any substance acts as a poison, but the term is usually reserved for substances, such as arsenic, cyanide, and strychnine, that are harmful in relatively small amounts.
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poi·son (poiґzən) [L. potio draft] any substance that, when relatively small amounts are ingested, inhaled, or absorbed, or applied to, injected into, or developed within the body, has chemical action that causes damage to structure or disturbance of function, producing symptoms, illness, or death. See also toxin and venom. poisonous adjMedical dictionary. 2011.