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venom - 8 dictionary results
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ven⋅om

  [ven-uhm]
Use venom in a Sentence
–noun
1. the poisonous fluid that some animals, as certain snakes and spiders, secrete and introduce into the bodies of their victims by biting, stinging, etc.
2. something resembling or suggesting poison in its effect; spite; malice: the venom of jealousy.
3. Archaic. poison in general.
–verb (used with object)
4. Archaic. to make venomous; envenom.
Origin:
1175–1225; var. of ME venim < AF; OF venim, venin < VL *venīmen, for L venēnum magical herb or potion, poison < *wenes-nom, equiv. to *wenes- desire (see venerate, Venus ) + *-nom n. suffix

Related forms:
ven⋅om⋅less, adjective

Synonyms:
1. See poison. 2. malignity, acrimony, bitterness, acerbity, gall, spleen, hate.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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ven·om   (věn'əm)   
n.  
  1. A poisonous secretion of an animal, such as a snake, spider, or scorpion, usually transmitted by a bite or sting.
  2. A poison.
  3. Malice; spite: "They dislike making their just criticism of a useful and earnest man an excuse for a general discharge of venom from small-minded opponents" (W.E.B. DuBois).

[Middle English venim, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin *venīmen, from Latin venēnum, poison; see wen-1 in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Venom

Ven"om\, n. [OE. venim, OF. venim, F. venin, L. veneum. Cf. Venenate.]

1. Matter fatal or injurious to life; poison; particularly, the poisonous, the poisonous matter which certain animals, such as serpents, scorpions, bees, etc., secrete in a state of health, and communicate by thing or stinging.

Or hurtful worm with cankered venom bites. --Milton.

2. Spite; malice; malignity; evil quality. Chaucer. "The venom of such looks." --Shak.

Syn: Venom; virus; bane. See Poison.

Venom

Ven"om\, v. t. [OE. venimen, OF. venimer, L. venenare. See Venom, n.] To infect with venom; to envenom; to poison. [R.] "Venomed vengeance." --Shak.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : venom
Spanish: veneno,
German: das Gift,
Japanese: 毒
More Translations »

venom 
c.1220, from Anglo-Fr. and O.Fr. venim, from V.L. *venimen, from L. venenum "poison, drug, potion," perhaps ultimately connected to venus "erotic love" (see Venus), in which case the original meaning might have been "love potion." The meaning "bitter, virulent feeling or language" is first recorded c.1300.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: ven·om
Pronunciation: 'ven-&m
Function: noun
: poisonous matter normally secreted by some animals (as snakes, scorpions, or bees) andtransmitted to prey or an enemy chiefly by biting or stinging
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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venom ven·om (věn'əm)
n.

  1. A poisonous secretion of an animal, such as a snake, spider, or scorpion, usually transmitted by a bite or sting.
  2. A poison.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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venom   (věn'əm)  Pronunciation Key 
Any of various poisonous substances secreted by certain snakes, spiders, scorpions, and insects and transmitted to a victim by a bite or sting. Venoms are highly concentrated fluids that typically consist of dozens or hundreds of powerful enzymes, peptides, and smaller organic compounds. These compounds target and disable specific chemicals in the victim, damaging cellular and organ system function. Snake venoms, for example, contain substances that block platelet aggregation (causing bleeding) and that prevent the release of acetylcholine by nerve endings (causing muscle paralysis). Many substances contained in venoms are under investigation for use as pharmaceuticals.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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