mass noun
1- a substance that when introduced into or absorbed by a living organism causes death or injury, especially one that kills by rapid action even in a small quantity毒物, 毒药。
1.1
- Chemistry a substance that reduces the activity of a catalyst【化】抑制剂。
1.2
- Physics an additive or impurity in a nuclear reactor that slows a reaction by absorbing neutrons【物理】中子吸收剂。
1.3
- a person, idea, action, or situation that is considered to have a destructive or corrupting effect or influence有毒害（或危险）的人（或观点、行为、情况）：
the late 1930s, when Nazism was spreading its poison.
纳粹主义传播流毒的20世纪30年代。
with obj.
1- administer poison to (a person or animal), either deliberately or accidentally（故意或偶然）施毒, 放毒：
he tried to poison his wife
他试图毒死他的妻子
as noun poisoning symptoms of poisoning may include nausea, diarrhoea, and vomiting.中毒症状包括恶心、腹泻和呕吐。
1.1
- adulterate or contaminate (food or drink) with poison对（食物, 饮料）下毒, 放毒。
1.2
- usu. as adj. poisoned treat (a weapon or missile) with poison in order to augment its lethal effect在（武器, 投射物）上涂毒。
1.3
- (of a dangerous substance) kill or cause to become very ill（危险物质）毒死, 毒害：
swans are being poisoned by lead from anglers' lines.
天鹅正在受到垂钓者鱼线上的铅球的毒害。
1.4
- contaminate or pollute (an area, the air, or water)污染（地区, 空气, 水）。
1.5
- figurative prove harmful or destructive to〈喻〉荼毒, 毒化; 破坏：
his disgust had poisoned his attitude toward everyone.
他的厌恶之情毒化了他对每个人的态度。
1.6
- Chemistry (of a substance) reduce the activity of (a catalyst)【化】（物质）减弱, 抑制（催化剂）的活性。
短语
what's your poison?
- informal used to ask someone what they would like to drink〈非正式〉想喝点什么？
派生词
poisoner
noun词源
Middle English (denoting a harmful medicinal draught)： from Old French poison 'magic potion', from Latin potio（n-） 'potion', related to potare 'to drink'.