poisonous

[Fr. poison eur.] Having the qualities of poison; venomous; containing poison; corrupting. "The poisonous tincture of original sin." Donne: Lett. to Sir E. Herbert. poisonous-fishes, s. pl. Ichthy.: Poisonous fishes may be divided into two cla es: (1) Those whose flesh has poisonous qualities, either invariably, as Clupea thri a, C. venenosa, and some species of Scarus, Tetrodon, and Diodon, or only at certain seasons, as the Barbel, Pike, and Burbot, whose roe causes violent diarrhoea when eaten during the spawning season; poke-berry, 8. [POKE-WEED.] poke-needle, s. Bot.: Scandix pecten - veneris. IMG:content-1268.png:[blocks in formation] A. Transitive : (2) those furnished with poison-organs (q. v.). The way, as in the dark. fishes of the first division probably acquire their deleterious qualities from their food, which consists of poisonous meduse, corals, and decomposing substances.