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Meaning of VENOMOUS

Pronunciation:  'venumus

WordNet Dictionary
 
 Definition: 
  1. [adj]  marked by deep ill will; deliberately harmful; "a malevolent lie"; "poisonous hate...in his eyes"- Ernest Hemingway; "venomous criticism"; "vicious gossip"
  2. [adj]  harsh or corrosive in tone; "an acerbic tone piercing otherwise flowery prose"; "a barrage of acid comments"; "her acrid remarks make her many enemies"; "bitter words"; "blistering criticism"; "caustic jokes about political assassination, talk-show hosts and medical ethics"; "a sulfurous denunciation"
  3. [adj]  extremely poisonous or injurious; producing venom; "venomous snakes"; "a virulent insect bite"
 
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 Synonyms: acerb, acerbic, acid, acrid, bitter, blistering, caustic, deadly, malevolent, malicious, poisonous, sulfurous, sulphurous, toxic, unpleasant, vicious, virulent, vitriolic
 

 

 

Webster's 1913 Dictionary
 
 Definition: 
\Ven"om*ous\, 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.
2. (Zo["o]l.) 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} (Zo["o]l.), 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.
 

 

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