▪ I. venom, n. and a.
(ˈvɛnəm)
Forms: α. 3–6 venym, 4 uenym, fenym (femyn), 4–5 wenym, venyme; 3 uenim, 3–7 venim, 4 wenim, 4–7 venime, 6 venimme; 4–5 wenem, 5–7 venem(e. β. 4–6 venum (6 Sc. winam); 4–7 venome, 7 venombe, 4– venom (4, 9 dial., vemon, 9 dial. wenom); Sc. 5 wennome, 6 vennom(e.
[a. AF. and OF. venim (venym), variant of venin (see venin1):—L. venēn-um (whence also It., Sp., Pg. veneno) poison, potion, drug, dye, etc.
The change of the final n to m may have been due to dissimilation (a different effect of which appears in the OF. variant velin and It. veleno), but cf. pilgrim, vellum.]
A. n.
1. The poisonous fluid normally secreted by certain snakes and other animals and used by them in attacking other living creatures.
The venom of snakes is secreted in a poison gland communicating with the fangs, through which it is ejected in the act of striking.
| α c 1220 Bestiary 139 in O.E. Misc. 5 Oc he [sc. a serpent] speweð or al ðe uenim ðat in his brest is bred. a 1300 Cursor M. 14871 Strangli was þis folk felun,..Was nedder nan o mar wenim. c 1325 Prose Psalter xiii. 5 Venim of aspides, .i. nedders. c 1386 Chaucer Pars. T. ¶195 The galle of the dragon shal been hire drynke, and the venym of the dragon hire morsels. c 1450 St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 6313 A serpent him our qweld..; Bot his venym it did na sare. 1484 Caxton Fables of æsop v. viii, The serpent came oute and slewe the child through his venym. 1555 Eden Decades (Arb.) 67 marg., Serpentes without venime. 1652 J. Wright tr. Camus' Nat. Paradox iii. 49 Like Spiders which make venim of Roses. |
| β a 1300 Cursor M. 20959 Þe nedder o venum sa strang. a 1340 Hampole Psalter xiii. 5 Venome of snakis [is] vndire þe lippes of þa. a 1400–50 Alexander 4797 As gotis out of guttars in golanand wedres, So voidis doun þe vemon be vermyns schaftis. 1614 Disc. Strange & Monstrous Serpent B 4, [The dragon] will cast his venome about foure rodde from him. a 1645 Milton Arcades 53 What the..hurtfull Worm with canker'd venom bites. 1727–46 Thomson Summer 909 He [sc. a serpent].., Whose high-concocted venom thro' the veins A rapid lightning darts. 1774 Goldsm. Nat. Hist. VII. ix. 195 The venom contained in this bladder is a yellowish thick tasteless liquor. 1813 Byron Corsair i. xi. 28 Man spurns the worm, but pauses ere he wake The slumbering venom of the folded snake. 1821–2 Shelley Chas. I, i. 127 As adders cast their skins And keep their venom, so kings often change. 1873 Mivart Elem. Anat. 438 Poisonous serpents however are provided with an extra glandular structure placed beneath and behind the orbit. This gland it is which secretes the venom. |
† b. of venom,
= venomous a. 3.
Obs.| 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) I. 311 Þeyȝ þere be no grete bestes of venym, ȝit þere beeþ venemous attercoppes. |
2. Poison,
esp. as administered to or drunk by a person; any poisonous or noxious substance, preparation, or property; a morbid secretion or virus. Now
rare.
| α c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. 408/207 Venim ich habbe, strong i-novȝh, þat ho-so þarof nimeth ouȝt..to deþe he worthþ i-brouȝt. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 1010 Ech gras þat þerinne wexþ, aȝen venim is. a 1300 Cursor M. 21055 Venim he drank wit-outen wath. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xviii. 152 For venym for-doth venym. 1380 Lay Folks Catech. (Lamb. MS.) 1133 Whi schuld venym or stynk lette vs to visite men in presun? c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xvii. 80 If venym or puyson be broȝt in place whare þe dyamaund es, alsone it waxez moyst. 1422 Yonge tr. Secreta Secret. 195 Many kingys..that myght not be ouercome with armys by wenym loste thar lywis. 1527 Andrew Brunswyke's Distyll. Waters C j, Water of the same..is good to be dronke for venym and impoysonynge. 1555 Eden Decades (Arb.) 108 Fogeda,..throwgh the maliciousnes of the veneme [of a poisoned arrow], consumed and was dryed vp by lyttle and lyttle. 1593 Queen Elizabeth Boeth. i. pr. iii. 6 Thou haste not knowen Anaxagoras flight, nor Socrates Venim, nor Zenos torment. 1616 Surfl. & Markh. Countrie Farme 179 Garlicke eaten fasting, is the Countrey mans Treacle in the time of the Plague,..as also against all manner of Venime and Poyson. |
| β a 1340 Hampole Psalter xxx. 5 As venome is hid vndire a swet morsell. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints v. (John) 329, I wil þat þu drinke þe venome I sal þe gyfe. c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 186 Ther is no venome so parlious in sharpnes, Os when it hathe of treacle a lyknes. c 1480 Henryson Orpheus & Eurydice (Asloan) 106 This cruell wennome was so penitryf, As natur is of all mortall poisoun. 1584 Cogan Haven Health ccxliii. 265 The houses and the houshoulde stuffe, vnlesse they bee purified with fire..and such like, keepe their venom for the space of a yeare or more. 1594 Shakes. Rich. III, iv. i. 62 Anoynted let me be with deadly Venome. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. ii. xxix. 173 Till (if Nature be strong enough) it break at last the contumacy of the parts obstructed, and dissipateth the venome into sweat. 1685 Temple Ess., Gardens Wks. 1720 I. 178 A great Preservative against the Plague, which is a sort of Venom. 1797 Coleridge Rev. G. Coleridge 29 Some [trees]..Have tempted me to slumber in their shade..; then breathing subtlest damps, Mixed their own venom with the rain from Heaven, That I woke poisoned! 1896 Allbutt's Syst. Med. I. 731 Infection of the deeper tissues and of the whole body is chiefly due to absorption of soluble venom from the place where the growth of microbes is proceeding. 1910 Contemp. Rev. Mar. 337 Fields of nightshade that are sufficient to themselves in their own foul venom. |
3. fig. Something comparable to or having the effect of poison; any baneful, malign, or noxious influence or quality; bitter or virulent feeling, language, etc.
| α a 1300 Cursor M. 15389 Of all venim and of envi ful kindeld vp he ras. c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. B. 574 Þe venym & þe vylanye & þe vycios fylþe, Þat by-sulpez mannez saule in vnsounde hert. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 417 Ȝif manye wolden holde togedere in þis bileue aȝenus þe fend, it were a triacle aȝenus venym þat emperour prelatis sowen in þe folc. c 1400 Pilgr. Sowle ii. xlv. (1859) 51 They have ben wretched and irous, ful of venym, of rancour, and of hate. c 1450 Myrr. our Ladye 205 God gaue mankynde fowde of lyfe wherin the enmy spued venym by a worde of lesyng. 1509 Fisher 7 Penit. Ps. xxxviii. Wks. (1876) 79 They laye before a man venym pryuely hyd vnder the colour of apperynge vertue. a 1569 A. Kingsmill Man's Est. vi. (1580) 33 That venime hath infected the whole race. 1607 Hieron Wks. I. 361 Hauing in him the arrowes of the Almightie, the venime thereof drinking vp his spirit. a 1674 Clarendon Surv. Leviath. (1676) 168 The veneme of this Book wrought upon the hearts of men. |
| β 1508 Dunbar Tua Mariit Wemen 166 To speik..I sall nought spar... I sall the venome devoid with a vent large. 1567 Satir. Poems Reform. iv. 152 Lat men be war, and keip thame suire Fra wemenis vennome. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. (S.T.S.) II. 215 Quha venum verie poysonable and deidlye in Germanie had souked out of Luther, and otheris Archheritikis. 1599 B. Jonson Cynthia's Rev. iii. ii, Well, I am resolv'd what Ile doe.—What, my good spirituous sparke?—Mary, speake all the venome I can of him. 1602 Shakes. Ham. ii. ii. 533 Who this had seene, with tongue in Venome steep'd, 'Gainst Fortunes State would Treason haue pronounc'd. 1675 Marvell Corr. Wks. (Grosart) II. 467 He was gone into the country, swoln with his new honour, and with venom against the fanatics. 1715–6 Hearne Collect. (O.H.S.) V. 170 Dr. Charlett continued his venom ag[ains]t non-jurors. 1759 Franklin Ess. Wks. 1840 III. 416 A dose of venom apparently prepared, and administered to poison the province. 1818 Scott Br. Lamm. xxxiii, The venom of your present language is sufficient to remind her, that she speaks with the mortal enemy of her father. 1860 Emerson Cond. Life, Fate Wks. (Bohn) II. 321 Whilst art draws out the venom, it commonly extorts some benefit from the vanquished enemy. |
b. With
of (sin, envy, etc.).
| α c 1315 Shoreham iv. 93 Þorwe þe fenym of senne Þat al mankende slakþ. c 1386 Chaucer Pars. T. ¶530 Certes than is love the medicine that casteth out the venime of envie fro mannes herte. 1497 Bp. Alcock Mons Perfect. B iij, Y⊇ deuyl..sessed neuer with his venym of dyscorde. 1557 Tottel's Misc. (Arb.) 245 Beware also the venym swete Of crafty wordes and flattery. |
| β 1435 Misyn Fire of Love 64 If any odyr gretter, fayrar or strengar be cald in þe pepyll, onon he is heuy touchyd with venum of envy. c 1440 Alph. Tales 122 He told so mekull horrible venom of syn at þaim irkid to here hym. 1562 Winȝet Wks. (S.T.S.) I. 40 The sweit venum of deuyllish eloquence of wordis. 1597 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, iv. iv. 45 Mingled with Venom of Suggestion. 1643 R. Baker Chron., Rich. I, 91 If it may not have the name, yet certainely it had the venome of a bitter Taxation. 1654 Whitlock Zootomia 445 It were to be wished all the Venome of Detraction were spent against it selfe. 1697 Prior A Satire 51 The Venom of a spiteful Satire. |
† c. Used in addressing persons.
Obs. rare.
| 1592 Breton Pilgrim. Paradise Wks. (Grosart) I. 12/2 The pilgrime gan replie, Die ougly venum in thy villany. 1601 Shakes. Twel. N. iii. ii. 2 And. No faith, Ile not stay a iot longer: To. Thy reason deere venom, giue thy reason. |
4. With
a and
pl. A poison; a particular kind of poison or virus.
| α 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xviii. 153 Of alle venymes, foulest is þe scorpioun. 1402 Hoccleve Lett. Cupid 258 With oo venym another was distroyed. 1460–70 Bk. Quintessence 16 Þanne it schal be no nede to vse in this perilous cure venemys, as some lechis doon. a 1533 Ld. Berners Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546) U iij b, Suche herbes and venims that might poyson them in theyr meates. 1556 Chron. Gr. Friars (Camden) 102 One Richard Roose..dyd caste a certyne venym or poyson into a vessell replenysshed with yeste or barme. 1594 West 2nd Pt. Symbol., Chancerie §29 Discerning and tempering by just proportions good venims from evil. 1604 Jas. I Counterbl. to Tobacco (Arb.) 100 The stinking Suffumigation whereof they yet vse against that disease, making so one canker or venime to eate out another. 1611 Lovell Hist. Anim. & Min. 255 [Salamanders'] biting is deadly, having as many venims as colours. |
| β 1513 Douglas æneid vii. iv. 88 King Picus.., Quham, revist for his lufe, throu vennomys seyr, Circes his spous smate wyth ane goldin wand. 1580 Frampton tr. Monarde's Two Med. agst. Venome 115 These venoms partly doe kill us; partly we use them for our profite, and bodily health. 1613 Purchas Pilgrimage (1614) 480 A man, whose nature infected with a stronger venome, poysoned other venemous creatures, if any did bite him. 1859 Tennyson Vivien 459 Were all as tame..as their Queen was fair? Not one to flirt a venom at her eyes, Or pinch a murderous dust into her drink? 1904 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 10 Sept. 571 The anti-effect of different specific antivenoms upon their venoms. Ibid. 574 The toxicity of the most powerful venoms. |
b. fig. (
Cf. 3.)
| 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. ccclxxxiv. 647 These people..retourned into their owne countreis; but the great venym remayned styll behynde, for Watte Tyler, Jacke Strawe, and John ball..wolde nat departe so. a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) II. 82 Ane winam aganis the poure man. 1583 Babington Commandm. (1590) 346 There is no speciall calling amongst men, whereunto by name this vice is not forbidden as a venome of all vertue. 1757 Burke Abridgm. Eng. Hist. Wks. X. 411 Taunts and mockeries..which infused a mortal venom into the war. 1910 A. R. Macewen Antoinette Bourignon ii. 54 All the poisons and venoms with which sin has polluted God's handiwork. |
† 5. A colouring matter; a dye.
Obs. rare.
| c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. ii. met. 5 (1868) 50 Þei couþe nat medle the briȝte flies of þe contre of siriens wiþ þe venym of tirie. 1552 Huloet, Venym,..is generallye [to denote] anye thynge whych altereth coloure, or nature of that wher⁓with it is myxt. |
6. attrib. and
Comb. a. Comb., as
venom-breeding,
venom-hating,
venom-sputtering;
venom-fanged,
venom-noyed,
venom-spotted adjs.;
venom-maker;
venom-cold adj. venom mouthed: see
venomed ppl. a. 4.
| a 1340 Hampole Psalter lvii. 5 Crist..lufes not charmers and venym makers. 1382 Wyclif Ps. lvii. 6 The vois of the enchaunteres; and of the venym makere. c 1400 Laud Troy Bk. 926 Medee..By-tauȝt Iason a riche ryng, That alle venym for-dede & strued,—That he schul not be venym-noyed. 1598 Marston Sco. Villanie iii. xi. 229 Avaunt lewd curre, presume not to speake, Or with thy venome⁓sputtering chaps to barke 'Gainst well-pend poems. 1612 Drayton Poly-olb. i. 52 Jernsey,..whose venom-hating ground The hard'ned emeril hath. 1760 Fawkes Anacreon, Odes xlii. 12 By rankling Malice never stung, I shun the venom-venting Tongue. 1828 Blackw. Mag. XXIV. 481 The venom-spotted coils and serpent eyes. a 1847 Eliza Cook There's a Hero iv. 2 A venom-breeding Ocean. 1864 J. C. Atkinson Stanton Grange 220 A venom-fanged viper. 1889 R. B. Anderson tr. Rydberg's Teut. Mythol. 92 The venom-cold Elivogs. 1904 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 10 Sept. 581 The treatment of venom poisoning. |
b. Simple
attrib., as
venom-albumen,
venom-flood,
venom-globulin,
venom-peptone,
venom-snake, etc.
| 1845 Zoologist III. 1031, I found also five pairs of rudimental fangs,..apparently unattached to the venom-sac. 1847–9 Todd's Cycl. Anat. IV. 291/1 In the most deadly venom-snakes..the poison fangs acquire their largest size. 1855 Bailey Mystic 54 Fire, ice and scalding venom-floods of hell. 1883 Science II. 24/1 Three distinct proteids may be isolated from the venom of the moccason and the rattle⁓snake. These they propose to call respectively, venom-peptone, venom-globulin, and venom-albumen. 1897 Allbutt's Syst. Med. II. 811 One observer classing a venom proteid with the albumins or globulins. |
B. adj. Venomous; virulent, malignant, spiteful.
Obs. exc. dial.| a 1350 St. Laurence 158 in Horstm. Altengl. Leg. (1881) 109 And seyn bete his body bare With scorpions þat uenym ware. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xviii. xi. (Bodl. MS.), The venem spiþer hatte Aranea. a 1425 Cursor M. 20959 (Trin.), Þe venym nedder þat was strong. c 1511 1st Eng. Bk. Amer. (Arb.) Introd. p. xxxiv/1 Forestis full of snakes and other venym beestes. 1538 Bale God's Promises iii. in Dodsley Old Plays (1780) I. 18 In my syght, he is more venym than the spyder. 1590 Shakes. Com. Err. v. 69 The venome clamors of a iealous woman. 1594 Nashe Unfort. Trav. Wks. (Grosart) V. 116 Things like sheep-lice, which aliue haue the venomest sting that may be. 1600 Breton Melanch. Hum. Wks. (Grosart) I. 13/1 Tis a subtill kinde of spirit, Of a venome kinde of nature. 1892 E. Anglian Daily Times (E.D.D.), A man remarked to two boys fighting, ‘You-a-munshy [you amongst you] fare as wenom as harnets’. |
▪ II. ˈvenom, v. Now
Obs. or
arch. Forms: α. 4–5
venem(e, 4–6
venym(e, (4
venymp-,
femyne), 4, 6–7
venim(e, 6
veneymen. β. 5–7
venome (5
vemon), 6–
venom, 7
vennum.
[ad. OF. venimer to envenom, or f. venom n. Cf. anvenom v. and envenom v.] 1. trans. To injure by means of venom; to poison (a person, etc.);
= envenom v. 1.
| c 1320 Sir Tristr. 1526 Þe tong [of þe dragon] y bar oway; Þus venimed he me þan. 1375 in Horstmann Altengl. Leg. (1878) 136/1 Who so were..venympd wiþ eny wikked beste. a 1400–50 Alexander 4842 A Basilisk..vemons in þe vaward valiant kniȝtis. c 1440 Gesta Rom. xviii. 332 (Harl. MS.), It befelle in shorte tyme, that dragons and venemous bestes venemed men. 1483 Cath. Angl. 400/1 To venome, venenare, jntoxicare. 1552 Huloet, Veneymen, inficio, cis, intoxico, as, ueneno, nas. 1579 Langham Gard. Health 202 He that rubbeth his hands with the root [of Dragons] in May, take adders, and they shall not venim him. 1610 Markham Masterp. ii. cviii. 390 Out of the same will runne a..humor, which will venome the whole foote. 1665 Bunyan Holy Citie 230 The Dragon is a venemous beast, and poisoneth all where he lieth; he beats the Earth bare, and venoms it, that it will bear no grass. 1694 Phil. Trans. XVIII. 280 These with many other different Herbs spreading and running upon the Trees choak and venom them. |
| fig. 1579 Tomson Calvin's Serm. Tim. 116/2 We shall see these vermine that seeke nothing else but to rotte or venime the Church of God. 1607 Tourneur Rev. Trag. iii. E 4 b, Since I must, Through Brothers periurie, dye, O let me venome Their soules with curses. |
| transf. 1679 Dryden & Lee Œdipus iii. i, Oh his murd'rous Breath Venoms my airy Substance! |
b. absol.| 1563 T. Hill Arte Garden. (1593) 111 Linnen cloathes..laid to any place, where either Spider or waspe hath venomed, dooth quickly take away the paine thereof. 1575 Turberv. Venerie 187 She venometh with hir byting when she is sault, as the Wolfe doth. 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts 515 A shrew, which biting horses and labouring cattell, it doth venome vntill it come vnto the hart, and then they die. 1610 Markham Masterp. ii. cxxv. 427 Looke that you touch no part of the horse therewith, saue the sorrance onely; for it will venome. |
2. To put venom in or on (something); to render venomous;
= envenom v. 2.
| c 1350 Libeaus Desc. 2050 For þoruȝ þat swordes dint..Þe venim will me spille: I venimed [v.r. femynede] hem boþe,..Our fomen for to fille. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) V. 443 A swerdman, wiþ a swerd i-venymed. a 1470 Harding Chron. lxxii. xiii, There was a well whiche his enemyes espied,..Whiche they venomyd with poyson on a daye. 1569 J. Sandford tr. Agrippa's Van. Artes 105 b, They have poysoned the water, infected the corne, and venomed the victuals. a 1604 Hanmer Chron. Ireland (1633) 52 He also was sore wounded with a Speare, whose head was venomed. 1612 J. Davies (Heref.) Muse's Sacr. Wks. (Grosart) II. 18/1 The Med'cine, so, thou gau'st to cure my Wounds, I venomed to make my hurt the more. 1725 Pope Odyss. x. 272 Venom'd was the bread, and mix'd the bowl, With drugs of force to darken all the soul. 1834 Beckford Italy II. 78 The heat seems..to have new venomed the stings of the fleas and the musquitoes. |
| fig. 1794 Southey Elinor 52 All her rankling shafts Barb'd with disgrace, and venom'd with disease. 1800 Coleridge Piccolom. v. v, Wherefore barb And venom the refusal with contempt? |
b. To embitter;
= envenom v. 2 b.
| 1621 Lady M. Wroth Urania 154 Loue like a serpent poysoning my ioyes, and biting my best daies, venomd all my blisse. 1819 Keats Vis. Hyperion i. 175 Only the dreamer venoms all his days, Bearing more woe than all his sins deserve. |
3. fig. To infect with moral evil; to corrupt, deprave, vitiate;
= envenom v. 3.
| 13.. K. Alis. 2860 [They] saide wel, er that tyme, Al Grece was of heom venyme [v.r. venymed]. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 286 Þes religious & seculere prestis,..bi brekynge of þis lawe, ben cursid of god & venemyn cristendome. c 1407 Lydg. Reson & Sens. 3391 And of venym..Venus pleynly took her name. For she venemyth many wyse Al that doon to hir servise. 1536 Bellenden Cron. Scot. (1821) I. 51 Sen our time is now sa venomit with uncouth and superflew metis and drinkis. 1591 R. Turnbull St. James 161 b, Lyes, blasphemie,..filthie talke,..whereby the soules of men are often poysoned and venomed to death. 1616 Breton Invective agst. Treason Wks. (Grosart) I. 4/2 Pride doth blinde y⊇ Eie, Infects y⊇ Minde, vennums y⊇ harte, and gives the Sowle a sting. 1681 Peace & Truth 10 This was the felicity of innocent Man before his Heart was venomed with Lust and Vanity. 1906 Westm. Gaz. 24 Dec. 2/1 To the pyre With this fiend that venoms all our sinful veins! |