- Home
- Idioms
- poison
poison
poison pen
1. adjective (hyphenated and used before a noun) Spiteful, malicious, or defamatory in composition, as of a letter or other written work, generally sent anonymously and with the aim of damaging or destroying a person's, group's, or organization's reputation or happiness. After agreeing to defend the alleged mass-murderer, the public defendant began receiving a large number of poison-pen letters from around the city. We've had enough trouble getting this restaurant up and running without having a poison-pen review like that in the papers!
2. adjective (hyphenated and used before a noun) Characterized by, typified by, or inclined toward the writing and sending of such letters or pieces of writing. The outspoken feminist figure has been the target of a hateful poison-pen campaign by online misogynists who have hidden behind the shield of anonymity to conduct their attacks.
3. noun A disposition, attitude, inclination, or ability typified by the writing and sending such letters or pieces of writing. Every year or so, there is a new piece of diatribe and vitriol from the poison pen of the infamous white supremacist. The poison pen of the oft-feared but well-respected critic has been enough to cause the downfall of more than one virtuoso's career.
poisoned chalice
Something that initially appears to be good, wholesome, or positive, but is really harmful. Primarily heard in UK. We thought the change in leadership was going to have a positive effect on the organization, but it turned out to be a poisoned chalice.
poison-pen letter
A letter that contains malicious statements or accusations about the recipient or another party. Shortly after announcing his candidacy, he received an anonymous poison-pen letter attacking his platform.
One man's meat is another man's poison.
Prov. Something that one person likes may be distasteful to someone else. Fred: What do you mean you don't like French fries? They're the best food in the world! Alan: One man's meat is another man's poison. Jill: I don't understand why Don doesn't like to read science fiction. It's the most interesting thing to read. Jane: One man's meat is another man's poison.
poison someone against someone or something
to cause someone to have negative or hateful thoughts about someone, a group, or something. You have done nothing more than poison Gerald against all of us! Stop talking to him! Your negative comments poisoned everyone against the proposal.
poison (someone or an animal) with something
to render someone or an animal sick or dead with a poison. He intended to poison his wife with arsenic. Barry wanted to poison the cat with something that left no trace. He poisoned himself with the cleaning compound.
poison something with something
to render something poisonous with something. She poisoned the soup with arsenic. They are poisoning our water supply with pollutants.
What'll it be?
and Name your poison.; What'll you have?; What's yours?Inf. What do you want to drink?; What do you want?; How can I serve you? (Typically said by a bartender or bar waiter or waitress.) Tom: What'll it be, friend? Bill: I'll just have a ginger ale, if you don't mind. Waitress: What'll you have? Bob: Nothing, thanks.
One man's meat is another man's poison.
something that you say which means that something one person likes very much can be something that another person does not like at all I wouldn't want to do her job, but she seems to love it. Oh well, one man's meat is another man's poison.
What's your poison?
(humorous) something that you say in order to ask someone what they would like to drink It's my round. What's your poison?
a poisoned chalice
(British) something that harms the person it is given to although it seemed very good when they first got it The leadership of the party turned out to be a poisoned chalice.
a poison-pen letter
a letter that has no signature and says unpleasant things about the person it is sent to After he was convicted, his family received a number of poison-pen letters.
one man's meat is another man's poison
What is good for or enjoyed by one is not necessarily so for someone else. This adage, first recorded in 1576, is so well known it is often shortened, as in
Pat loves to travel to remote areas but that's not for Doris-one man's meat, you know. Also see
no accounting for tastes.
poison-pen letter
A letter, usually anonymous, that makes malicious statements about the recipient or a third party. For example, She told the police about the poison-pen letters, but they said they couldn't pursue the matter . [Early 1900s]
lead poisoning
n. death caused by being shot with a lead bullet. (Underworld.) He pifted because of a case of lead poisoning.
Name your poison
sent. State what you want to drink. (Refers to alcoholic drinks only.) Okay, friend, name your poison.
poison
1. mod. wicked; evil. Stay away from her. She’s poison.
2. n. an alcoholic drink. Name your poison.
poison pill
n. an element introduced into the restructuring of a corporation so that it becomes undesirable for another corporation to take over. Acme Corporation approved a poison pill to prevent a hostile takeover.
one man's meat is another man's poison
You may not like something that I like. The phrase, which was first written by the Roman poet Lucretius, was appropriated to refer to any situation where two people disagree over something. The 20th-century literary wit George S. Kauffman's most celebrated pun was “One man's Mede is another man's Persian.”