Find the synonyms or antonyms of a word



Antonyms for poisoning


Grammar : Verb
Spell : poi-zuh-ning
Phonetic Transcription : ˈpɔɪ zə nɪŋ



Definition of poisoning

Origin :
  • c.1200, "a deadly potion or substance," also figuratively, from Old French poison, puison (12c., Modern French poison) "a drink," especially a medical drink, later "a (magic) potion, poisonous drink" (14c.), from Latin potionem (nominative potio) "a drinking, a drink," also "poisonous drink" (Cicero), from potare "to drink" (see potion).
  • For form evolution from Latin to French, cf. raison from rationem. The Latin word also is the source of Old Spanish pozon, Italian pozione, Spanish pocion. The more usual Indo-European word for this is represented in English by virus. The Old English word was ator (see attercop) or lybb. Slang sense of "alcoholic drink" first attested 1805, American English.
  • For sense evolution, cf. Old French enerber, enherber "to kill with poisonous plants." In many Germanic languages "poison" is named by a word equivalent to English gift (cf. Old High German gift, German Gift, Danish and Swedish gift; Dutch gift, vergift). This shift might have been partly euphemistic, partly by influence of Greek dosis "a portion prescribed," literally "a giving," used by Galen and other Greek physicians to mean an amount of medicine (see dose (n.)).
  • Figuratively from late 15c.; of persons by 1910. As an adjective from 1520s; with plant names from 18c. Poison ivy first recorded 1784; poison oak is from 1743. Poison gas first recorded 1915. Poison-pen (letter) popularized 1913 by a notorious criminal case in Pennsylvania, U.S.; the phrase dates to 1898.
  • verb contaminate, pollute
Example sentences :
  • They are at work with the red-skins, poisoning them against us.
  • Extract from : « In the Valley » by Harold Frederic
  • Ah, I would willingly have killed that execrable Smith, for he was poisoning my life.
  • Extract from : « My Double Life » by Sarah Bernhardt
  • But in that moment the whole plot of Madonna's poisoning was revealed to me.
  • Extract from : « The Shame of Motley » by Raphael Sabatini
  • They succeeded in poisoning the water supply of the city of Philadelphia.
  • Extract from : « The Martian Cabal » by Roman Frederick Starzl
  • Tell Waterbury, and face that charge for poisoning his horse.
  • Extract from : « Garrison's Finish » by W. B. M. Ferguson
  • There can be no question of an antidote if there has been no poisoning.
  • Extract from : « The Daltons, Volume II (of II) » by Charles James Lever
  • This poisoning was the last sign the Jesuits gave of their power.
  • Extract from : « The Memoires of Casanova, Complete » by Jacques Casanova de Seingalt
  • Finally, we have an examination of the different forms of poisoning.
  • Extract from : « Criminal Man » by Gina Lombroso-Ferrero
  • A woman acquaintance of his had committed suicide by poisoning herself.
  • Extract from : « Psychotherapy » by Hugo Mnsterberg
  • Nearly all the things that cause headache do so by poisoning the blood.
  • Extract from : « A Handbook of Health » by Woods Hutchinson

Synonyms for poisoning

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019