Venom v.

Now Obs. or arch. Forms: α. 4–5 venem(e, 4–6 venym(e, (4 venymp-, femyne), 4, 6–7 venim(e, 6 veneymen. β. 5–7 venome (5 vemon), 6– venom, 7 vennum. [ad. OF. venimer to envenom, or f. VENOM sb. Cf. ANVENOM v. and ENVENOM v.]

  1.  trans. To injure by means of venom; to poison (a person, etc.); = ENVENOM v. 1.

c. 1320.  Sir Tristr., 1526. Þe tong [of þe dragon] y bar oway; Þus venimed he me þan.

1375.  in Horstmann, Altengl. Leg. (1878), 136/1. Who so were … venympd wiþ eny wikked beste.

a. 1400–50.  Alexander, 4842. A Basilisk … vemons in þe vaward valiant kniȝtis.

c. 1440.  Gesta Rom., xviii. 332 (Harl. MS.). It befelle in shorte tyme, that dragons and venemous bestes venemed men.

1483.  Cath. Angl., 400/1. To venome, venenare, jntoxicare.

1552.  Huloet, Veneymen, inficio, cis, intoxico, as, ueneno, nas.

1579.  Langham, Gard. Health, 202. He that rubbeth his hands with the root [of Dragons] in May, take adders, and they shall not venim him.

1610.  Markham, Masterp., II. cviii. 390. Out of the same will runne a … humor, which will venome the whole foote.

1665.  Bunyan, Holy Citie, 230. The Dragon is a venemous beast, and poisoneth all where he lieth; he beats the Earth bare, and venoms it, that it will bear no grass.

1694.  Phil. Trans., XVIII. 280. These with many other different Herbs spreading and running upon the Trees choak and venom them.

  fig.  1579.  Tomson, Calvin’s Serm. Tim., 116/2. We shall see these vermine that seeke nothing else but to rotte or venime the Church of God.

1607.  Tourneur, Rev. Trag., III. E 4 b. Since I must, Through Brothers periurie, dye, O let me venome Their soules with curses.

  transf.  1679.  Dryden & Lee, Œdipus, III. i. Oh his murd’rous Breath Venoms my airy Substance!

  b.  absol.

1563.  Hyll, Arte Garden. (1593), 111. Linnen cloathes … laid to any place, where either Spider or waspe hath venomed, dooth quickly take away the paine thereof.

1575.  Turberv., Venerie, 187. She venometh with hir byting when she is sault, as the Wolfe doth.

1607.  Topsell, Four-f. Beasts, 515. A shrew, which biting horses and labouring cattell, it doth venome vntill it come vnto the hart, and then they die.

1610.  Markham, Masterp., II. cxxv. 427. Looke that you touch no part of the horse therewith, saue the sorrance onely; for it will venome.

  2.  To put venom in or on (something); to render venomous; = ENVENOM v. 2.

c. 1350.  Libeaus Desc., 2050. For þoruȝ þat swordes dint … Þe venim will me spille: I venimed [v.r. femynede] hem boþe,… Our fomen for to fille.

1387.  Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), V. 443. A swerdman, wiþ a swerd i-venymed.

a. 1470.  Harding, Chron., LXXII. xiii. There was a well whiche his enemyes espied,… Whiche they venomyd with poyson on a daye.

1569.  J. Sanford, trans. Agrippa’s Van. Artes, 105 b. They have poysoned the water, infected the corne, and venomed the victuals.

a. 1604.  Hanmer, Chron. Ireland (1633), 52. He also was sore wounded with a Speare, whose head was venomed.

1612.  J. Davies (Heref.), Muse’s Sacr., Wks. (Grosart), II. 18/1. The Med’cine, so, thou gau’st to cure my Wounds, I venomed to make my hurt the more.

1725.  Pope, Odyss., X. 272. Venom’d was the bread, and mix’d the bowl, With drugs of force to darken all the soul.

1834.  Beckford, Italy, II. 78. The heat seems … to have new venomed the stings of the fleas and the musquitoes.

  fig.  1794.  Southey, Elinor, 52. All her rankling shafts Barb’d with disgrace, and venom’d with disease.

1800.  Coleridge, Piccolom., V. v. Wherefore barb And venom the refusal with contempt?

  b.  To embitter; = ENVENOM v. 2 b.

1621.  Lady M. Wroth, Urania, 154. Loue like a serpent poysoning my ioyes, and biting my best daies, venomd all my blisse.

1819.  Keats, Vis. Hyperion, I. 175. Only the dreamer venoms all his days, Bearing more woe than all his sins deserve.

  3.  fig. To infect with moral evil; to corrupt, deprave, vitiate; = ENVENOM v. 3.

13[?].  K. Alis., 2860. [They] saide wel, er that tyme, Al Grece was of heom venyne [v.r. venymed].

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 286. Þes religious & seculere prestis,… bi brekynge of þis lawe, ben cursid of god & venemyn cristendome.

c. 1407.  Lydg., Reson & Sens., 3391. And of venym … Venus pleynly took her name. For she venemyth many wyse Al that doon to hir servise.

1536.  Bellenden, Cron. Scot. (1821), I. 51. Sen our time is now sa venomit with uncouth and superflew metis and drinkis.

1591.  R. Turnbull, St. James, 161 b. Lyes, blasphemie,… filthie talke,… whereby the soules of men are often poysoned and venomed to death.

1616.  Breton, Invective agst. Treason, Wks. (Grosart), I. 4/2. Pride doth blinde y^e Eie, Infects y^e Minde, vennums y^e harte, and gives the Sowle a sting.

1681.  Peace & Truth, 10. This was the felicity of innocent Man before his Heart was venomed with Lust and Vanity.

1906.  Westm. Gaz., 24 Dec., 2/1. To the pyre With this fiend that venoms all our sinful veins!