venom (venum)

and a. [Early mod. E. also venome, venim, venime, venym; Zif Venym or Poysoun be broughte in presence of the Dyamand, anon it begynnethe to wexe moyst and for to Mandeville , Travels, p. 159. swete. Full from the fount of Joy's delicious springs Some bitter o'er the flowers its bubbling venom flings. Byron, Childe Harold, i. 82. 2. The poisonous fluid secreted by some animals in a state of health, as a means of offense and defense, and introduced into the bodies of their victims by biting, as in the case of many serpents, or stinging, as in the case of scorpions, etc. In vertebrates venom is usually a modified saliva secreted by glands morphologically identical with ordinary salivary glands; and the normal saliva of various animals acquires at times, or under some circumstances, an extremely venomous quality, as in the rabies of various beasts. Venom is normal to few vertebrates, notably all than at ophidian serpents, and one or two lizards, as the Gila monster. Venom-glands are connected with the spines of the head or fins of a few fishes. Venom of extreme virulence is injected with the bite of a few spiders (see Latrodectus, and cut under spider ), and the punctures made by claws or telson of centipeds and scorpions are envenomed. An acrid or irritating fluid, cla able as venom, is injected with the sting of many insects (see cases cited under sting1 ), and in one case at least may be fatal to large animals (see tsetse ). Of alle fretynge venymes the vilest is the scorpion; May no medecyne amende the place ther he styngeth. Piers Plowman (C), xxi. 158. Or hurtful worm with canker'd venom bites. Milton , Arcades, 1. 53. 3. Something that blights, cankers, or embitters; injurious influence; hence, spite; malice; malignity; virulency. What with Venus, and other oppre ioun Of houses, Mars his Venim is adoun, That Ypermistra dar nat handle a knyf. Chaucer, Good Women, 1. 2593.