poison
B1Neutral; used across formal, informal, technical, and literary contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A substance that can cause illness, injury, or death when introduced into the body.
Anything that has a destructive or corrupting influence on something, such as an idea, relationship, or atmosphere.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a noun, also a verb meaning 'to administer poison' or 'to corrupt/ruin'. Carries strong negative moral and physical connotations.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical. Minor spelling preference: 'poisoner' (both), 'poisoning' (both).
Connotations
Equally negative in both varieties.
Frequency
Comparable frequency; common in news (crime, pollution), literature, and everyday speech.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
poison [someone/something] (with something)be poisoned by [something]poison [relationship/atmosphere/mind]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “poison the well”
- “poison-pen letter”
- “one man's meat is another man's poison”
- “what's your poison? (humorous, for drink)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
'Poison pill' (defensive strategy against takeover).
Academic
In chemistry, environmental science, and history (e.g., political poisonings).
Everyday
Referring to toxic substances, spoiled food, or toxic relationships.
Technical
Specific terms like 'contact poison', 'systemic poison', 'poison ivy'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Someone tried to poison the village water supply.
- His jealousy ended up poisoning their friendship.
- The scandal poisoned relations between the two departments.
American English
- They feared the disinformation would poison public discourse.
- The chemical waste had poisoned the river for miles.
- She was accused of poisoning her husband's coffee.
adverb
British English
- N/A. Use 'poisonously'. (e.g., She looked at him poisonously.)
American English
- N/A. Use 'poisonously'. (e.g., The atmosphere was poisonously tense.)
adjective
British English
- N/A. Use 'poisonous'. (e.g., poison ivy is a fixed phrase.)
American English
- N/A. Use 'poisonous'. (e.g., He has a poison-pen style.)
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The cleaner is a poison. Do not drink it.
- Some mushrooms have poison in them.
- The police found poison in his glass.
- Bad advice can poison your mind.
- The investigation revealed a complex plot to poison the ambassador.
- The long-running dispute had poisoned any chance of cooperation.
- The polemicist's rhetoric was designed to poison the well of public debate.
- The regime systematically poisoned the political atmosphere with fear and suspicion.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a noisy 'POIsonous' snake hissing 'POI! POI!' before it bites.
Conceptual Metaphor
BAD IS POISON (e.g., 'poisonous lies', 'poisoned the debate').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Not always 'яд'. Can be 'токсин' (toxin) in scientific contexts. 'Отравить' is 'to poison', but 'to be food poisoned' is 'to have food poisoning'. Avoid direct calque 'poison relationship' -> 'to poison a relationship'.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing 'poison' (ingested/inhaled) with 'venom' (injected). Using 'poison' as an adjective instead of 'poisonous' (e.g., 'a poison plant' -> 'a poisonous plant').
Practice
Quiz
Which phrase uses 'poison' metaphorically?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Poison is harmful if ingested, inhaled, or touched. Venom is a type of poison injected via a bite or sting (e.g., snake venom).
No, it's commonly used metaphorically for anything harmful (e.g., poisonous ideas, a poisoned reputation).
Yes. It means to give poison to someone/something, or to spoil something (e.g., poison a relationship).
It's a humorous, informal way to ask someone what alcoholic drink they would like.