| Venom | n. [ OE. venim, OF. venim, venin, F. venin, L. venenum. Cf. Venenate. ] 1. Matter fatal or injurious to life; poison; particularly, the poisonous matter which certain animals, such as serpents, scorpions, bees, etc., secrete in a state of health, and communicate by biting or stinging. [ 1913 Webster ] Or hurtful worm with cankered venom bites. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. Spite; malice; malignity; evil quality. Chaucer. “The venom of such looks.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] Syn. -- Venom; virus; bane. See Poison. [ 1913 Webster ] |
| Venomous | a. [ OE. venemous, venimous, F. venimeux, L. venenosus, fr. venenum poison. See Venom, and cf. Venenose. ] 1. Full of venom; noxious to animal life; poisonous; as, the bite of a serpent may be venomous. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. (Zool.) Having a poison gland or glands for the secretion of venom, as certain serpents and insects. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. Noxious; mischievous; malignant; spiteful; as, a venomous progeny; a venomous writer. [ 1913 Webster ]
Venomous snake (Zool.), any serpent which has poison glands and fangs, whether dangerous to man or not. These serpents constitute two tribes, the viperine serpents, or Solenoglypha, and the cobralike serpents, or Proteroglypha. The former have perforated, erectile fangs situated in the front part of the upper jaw, and are without ordinary teeth behind the fangs; the latter have permanently erect and grooved fangs, with ordinary maxillary teeth behind them. [ 1913 Webster ]
-- Ven"om*ous*ly, adv. -- Ven"om*ous*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ] |
