Some 16th-century Italian clergymen tried to ban coffee because they believed it to be “satanic.” However, Pope Clement VII loved coffee so much that he lifted the ban and had coffee baptized in 1600.
VENOMOUS
poisonous, venomous, vicious
(adjective) marked by deep ill will; deliberately harmful; “poisonous hate”; “venomous criticism”; “vicious gossip”
deadly, venomous, virulent
(adjective) extremely poisonous or injurious; producing venom; “venomous snakes”; “a virulent insect bite”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Adjective
venomous (comparative more venomous, superlative most venomous)
Full of venom.
Toxic; poisonous.
Noxious; evil.
Malignant; spiteful; hateful.
Producing venom (a toxin usually injected into an enemy or prey by biting or stinging) in glands or accumulating venom from food.
powerful
Usage notes
See poisonous.
Synonyms
• noxious
• poisonous
• toxic
Antonyms
• non-venomous
Source: Wiktionary
Ven"om*ous, a. Etym: [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.
2. (Zoöl.)
Definition: Having a poison gland or glands for the secretion of venom, as certain serpents and insects.
3. Noxious; mischievous; malignant; spiteful; as, a venomous progeny; a venomous writer. Venomous snake (Zoöl.), 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.
– Ven"om*ous*ly, adv.
– Ven"om*ous*ness, n.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
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Word of the Day
25 December 2024
UNAMBIGUOUS
(adjective) having or exhibiting a single clearly defined meaning; “As a horror, apartheid...is absolutely unambiguous”- Mario Vargas Llosa
Coffee Trivia
