Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Yeara \Ye*a"ra\, n. (Bot.)
The California poison oak ({Rhus diversiloba}). See under
{Poison}, a.
Poison \Poi"son\, n. [F. poison, in Old French also, a potion,
fr. L. potio a drink, draught, potion, a poisonous draught,
fr. potare to drink. See {Potable}, and cf. {Potion}.]
1. Any agent which, when introduced into the animal organism,
is capable of producing a morbid, noxious, or deadly
effect upon it; as, morphine is a deadly poison; the
poison of pestilential diseases.
2. That which taints or destroys moral purity or health; as,
the poison of evil example; the poison of sin.
{Poison ash}. (Bot.)
(a) A tree of the genus {Amyris} ({A. balsamifera}) found
in the West Indies, from the trunk of which a black
liquor distills, supposed to have poisonous qualities.
(b) The poison sumac ({Rhus venenata}). [U. S.]
{Poison dogwood} (Bot.), poison sumac.
{Poison fang} (Zo["o]l.), one of the superior maxillary teeth
of some species of serpents, which, besides having the
cavity for the pulp, is either perforated or grooved by a
longitudinal canal, at the lower end of which the duct of
the poison gland terminates. See Illust. under {Fang}.
{Poison gland} (Biol.), a gland, in animals or plants, which
secretes an acrid or venomous matter, that is conveyed
along an organ capable of inflicting a wound.
{Poison hemlock} (Bot.), a poisonous umbelliferous plant
({Conium maculatum}). See {Hemlock}.
{Poison ivy} (Bot.), a poisonous climbing plant ({Rhus
Toxicodendron}) of North America. It is common on stone
walls and on the trunks of trees, and has trifoliate,
rhombic-ovate, variously notched leaves. Many people are
poisoned by it, if they touch the leaves. See {Poison
sumac}. Called also {poison oak}, and {mercury}.
{Poison nut}. (Bot.)
(a) Nux vomica.
(b) The tree which yields this seed ({Strychnos
Nuxvomica}). It is found on the Malabar and Coromandel
coasts.
{Poison oak} (Bot.), the poison ivy; also, the more shrubby
{Rhus diversiloba} of California and Oregon.
{Poison sac}. (Zo["o]l.) Same as {Poison gland}, above. See
Illust. under {Fang}.
{Poison sumac} (Bot.), a poisonous shrub of the genus {Rhus}
({R. venenata}); -- also called {poison ash}, {poison
dogwood}, and {poison elder}. It has pinnate leaves on
graceful and slender common petioles, and usually grows in
swampy places. Both this plant and the poison ivy ({Rhus
Toxicodendron}) have clusters of smooth greenish white
berries, while the red-fruited species of this genus are
harmless. The tree ({Rhus vernicifera}) which yields the
celebrated Japan lacquer is almost identical with the
poison sumac, and is also very poisonous. The juice of the
poison sumac also forms a lacquer similar to that of
Japan.
Syn: Venom; virus; bane; pest; malignity.
Usage: {Poison}, {Venom}. Poison usually denotes something
received into the system by the mouth, breath, etc.
Venom is something discharged from animals and
received by means of a wound, as by the bite or sting
of serpents, scorpions, etc. Hence, venom specifically
implies some malignity of nature or purpose.
Source : WordNet®
Rhus diversiloba
n : poisonous shrub of the Pacific coast of North America that
causes a rash on contact [syn: {western poison oak}, {Toxicodendron
diversilobum}]