a. Forms: α. 4–5 venymus, -ouse, 4–6 -ous, 5 -ows, venymm(o)us (vemynousse); 4 uenimous, venimouse, 4, 6 -us, 5–7 -ous; 4–6 venemouse, 4–8 -ous, 5 Sc. -us, 5–6 Sc. vennemous; 5 venamous, Sc. -us, -use, 7 Sc. ven’mowse. β. 5– venomous, 5 Sc. wenomose, 6 Sc. wennomus, vennomous, 6 venumous, venoumous. [a. AF. venimus, venimous, = OF. (also mod.F.) venimeux, f. venim VENOM sb., after L. venēnōsus: see VENENOUS a.]
† 1. fig. Morally or spiritually hurtful or injurious; pernicious. Obs.
c. 1290. S. Eng. Leg., I. 120/484. Þat word me þinchez venimous to þe pays of þe londe.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter cxlix. 2. To forsake þe venymous delitis of þis warld.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 20. Venemouse lustis and likingis of deedly synnes.
c. 1480. Henryson, Fables, Cock & Fox, 606 (Harl. MS.). Thir twa sinnis, flatterie and vane gloir, Ar vennomous.
c. 1490. Caxton, Rule St. Benet (E. E. T. S.), 129. Yf ony be founde gylty in this venemouse offence of properte.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 55. The religyous seruaunt of god … destroyeth by holy meditacyon ye flyes & spyders of venymous thoughtes.
1580. Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 414. I will at large proue that there is nothing in loue more venemous then meeting.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit., 707. Saint German, who happily confuted that venemous Pelagian Heresie.
2. Containing, consisting or full of, infected with, venom; possessing poisonous properties or qualities; destructive of, harmful or injurious to, life on this account.
Common from c. 1470 to c. 1650; now rare.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 16594. By passagers wel herde he seye Þe venimouse eyr was al a-weye.
c. 1340. Hampole, Pr. Consc., 6751. Another manere of drynk þat es ille, Þat sal be bitter and venemus.
c. 1366. Chaucer, A. B. C., 149. With thornes venymous, O heuene queen,… I am wounded.
1474. Caxton, Chesse, III. v. (1883), 126. That they put in theyr medicynes no thynge venemous. Ibid. (1490), Eneydos, xxiv. 88. Herbes … wherof the Iuse is passyng venymouse.
1555. Eden, Decades (Arb.), 45. Of the venemous apples wherwith the Canibales inueneme theyr arrowes.
1584. Cogan, Haven Health, ccxliii. (1636), 297. Not that the ayre is venomous of it selfe, but through corruption hath now gotten such a quality.
c. 1614. Sir W. Mure, Dido & Æneas, III. 108. Collecting als … The milkie poyson of each ven’mowse weed.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., II. xxix. 173. The fleshy parts being … by venomous matter obstructed.
1672. Marvell, Reh. Transp., I. 132. The cultivating of a Garden of venimous Plants.
1817. Shelley, Rev. Islam, X. xxxviii. On the heap Pour venomous gums.
a. 1839. Praed, Red Fisherman, Poems 1864, I. 197. The trees and herbs that round it grew Were venomous and foul.
† b. Of a wound, etc.: Marked or characterized by the presence of poisonous matter; foul with venom; envenomed. Obs.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XIX. lvii. Aȝens þe venemos posteme þat hatte antrax & aȝens oþer venemous postemes.
1541. R. Copland, Guydon’s Form., U j. It shulde be an oyntment profitable to all sores that be venymous.
c. 1550. H. Lloyd, Treasury Health, T v. Leuen of whete breketh the venemouse humors and apostumes.
1656. J. Smith, Pract. Physic, 363. A wound made by bullets is not venemous, nor alwaies bruised.
1702. Echard, Eccl. Hist., I. i. 36. His Distemper daily encreas’d,… and he himself labour’d under … venomous Swellings in his Feet,… accompany’d with intolerable Smells.
1707. Watts, Hymns, II. cliii. Poet. Wks. IV. 148. Sin like a venomous disease Infects our vital blood.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist., VII. ix. 196. When the serpent is irritated to give a venomous wound.
fig. 1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. lii. (1611), 292. A soueraigne preseruatiue … from the venemous infection of heresie.
c. Of a bite or sting.
1567. Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.), 8. He ouerthrew The Serpent, and his vennemous stang.
1653. Walton, Angler, 146. The biting of a Pike is venemous and hard to be cured.
1753. J. Bartlet, Gentl. Farriery, 322. Of Venomous Bites from Vipers and Mad Dogs.
1787. Best, Angling (ed. 2), 48. Be careful how you take a pike out of the water, for his bite is venomous.
† d. Harmful or injurious to something. Obs.
1607. Shaks., Cor., IV. i. 23. Thy teares are salter then a yonger mans, And venomous to thine eyes.
1691. T. H[ale], Acc. New Invent., 17. A Cancarous and Corroding substance, and venomous to Iron.
3. Of animals, esp. snakes, or their parts: Secreting venom; having the power or property of communicating venom by means of bites or stings; inflicting or capable of inflicting poisonous wounds in this way.
Formerly in general literary use, now chiefly restricted to certain species of poisonous snakes.
α. c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xxxi. (Eugenia), 396. Na serpent has a hed sa fel, sa venamuse, na sa cruel, as þe hed of þe colubre is.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), I. 51. Yuel doers, corrupte ayre, wylde bestes and venemous woneþ þerynne.
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), 199. Thanne have thei no drede of no Cocodrilles, ne of non other venymous Vermyn.
c. 1450. Metham, Wks. (E.E.T.S.), 46. For off summe off thise serpentys, the eyn so venymmus be That with her loke thei slee yche erthly creature.
1480. Caxton, Myrr., II. xiv. 97. Irland is a grett Ilonde in whiche is no serpent ne venemous beeste.
1522. More, De Quat. Noviss., Wks. 85/1. Like as the venemous spider bringeth forth her cobweb.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., VI. vi. 9. That beastes teeth, which … Are so exceeding venemous and keene.
1600. Shaks., A. Y. L., II. i. 13. Aduersitie Which like the toad, ougly and venemous, Weares yet a precious Iewell in his head.
1653. W. Ramesey, Astrol. Restored, 229. Those places subject thereunto shall be afflicted with water, and venemous Creatures.
1748. Anson’s Voy., III. ii. 314. We found … scorpions, which we supposed were venemous.
1791–3. in Spirit Public Jrnls. (1799), I. 225. To sleep in a dungeon with venemous reptiles.
β. c. 1515. Henryson’s Orpheus & Eurydice (Asloan MS.), 105. As scho ran, all bairfut, in ane bus Scho trampit on a serpent wennomus.
1595. Locrine, I. i. 76. Triple Cerberus with his venomous throte.
1651. Wittie, trans. Primrose’s Pop. Err., IV. xxxviii. 271. If poyson, or some venomous creature be neare unto it, it sweats.
1671. Salmon, Syn. Med., III. xxii. 442. It … cures the bitings of venomous beasts.
1713. Derham, Phys.-Theol., II. vi. 56. Many … of our European venomous animals carry their Cure … in their own Bodies.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist., VII. ix. 194. If it [sc. the serpent] has the fang teeth, it is to be placed among the venomous class.
1834. H. M’Murtrie, Cuvier’s Anim. Kingd., 182. Serpents are divided into venomous and non-venomous; and the former are sub-divided into such as are venomous with several maxillary teeth, and those which are venomous with insulated fangs.
1876. Miss Braddon, J. Haggard’s Dau., III. 23. The serpent had lifted his venomous crest from among the flowers.
c. 1880. Cassell’s Nat. Hist., IV. 301. The poisonous Snakes are divided into two groups—the Viperiform Snakes and the Venomous Colubrines.
b. fig., chiefly with allusion to the Devil.
1340. Ayenb., 171. Þe uenimouse eddre of helle.
c. 1450. Mankind, 40, in Macro Plays, 2. Yt hath dyssoluyde mankynde from þe bittur bonde Of þe mortall enmye, þat vemynousse serpente.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. IV., 25. The Earle of Northumberland … bare still a venemous scorpion in his cankered heart. Ibid., Hen. VI., 169. That venemous worme, that dreadfull dragon, called disdain of superioritie.
a. 1578. Lindesay (Pitscottie), Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.), II. 239. The Devill,… that wicked and venimus serpent quho gois about to sie quhome he may catch.
4. fig. Having the virulence of venom; rancorous, spiteful, malignant, virulent; embittered, envenomed.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter, x. 2. Þai haf redy in þaire hertis venymouse wordis and sharpe. Ibid., xxviii. 8. Þaim … þat … puttis away venomus tongis.
1340. Ayenb., 27. Þe venimouse herte of þe enuiouse zeneȝeþ generalliche.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 5528. With tonge woundyng, as feloun, Thurgh venemous detraccioun.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour (1868), 56. It is not good to … take sodeyne acqueintaunce that hathe the herte of faire speche, for sum tyme her speche is deseyuable and venomous.
c. 1489. Caxton, Blanchardyn, li. 196. The venymouse malyce of the false traytoure Subyon.
1555. Eden, Decades (Arb.), 52. To speake venemous woordes … ageynst the annoynted of god.
1588. Shaks., Titus Andron., V. iii. 13. The Venemous Mallice of my swelling heart.
1648. Hexham, II. Feenijnighlick, venommously, spightfully, or [with] a venomous envy.
a. 1721. Prior, Session of Poets, 36. That with very much Wit he no anger exprest Nor sharpen’d his Verse with a Venemous Jest.
1737. Gentl. Mag., VII. 623/2. One R. C. … sent me venemous Libels against the Great Man.
1857. Palgrave, Hist. Normandy & Eng., II. 18. A venomous opposition was festering against him.
1879. Froude, Cæsar, xii. 153. The most innocent intimacies would not have escaped misrepresentation from the venomous tongues of Roman society.
1885. Manch. Exam., 20 May, 4/7. A venomous and scurrilous attack.
b. Of persons, their character, etc.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 299. Of this grett velany I salle be vengede ones On ȝone venemus mene, wyth valiant knyghtes!
1567. Satir. Poems Reform., iv. 109. O wickit wemen, vennomus of nature!
1579. Tomson, Calvin’s Serm. Tim., 901/2. What shall men say, when a mortall man dareth thus to become venemous against God.
1585. T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy., III. ii. 71. [Of these] christian children Mahometised, the venemous nature is so great, mischieuous and pernitious.
1607. Hieron, Wks., I. 225. [Satan is] a venimous aduersary to empoyson our soule.
1643. Sir T. Browne, Relig. Med., II. § 10. There are in the most depraved and venemous dispositions, certaine pieces that remaine untoucht.
1882. J. H. Blunt. Ref. Ch. Eng., II. 244. His most bitter enemy, the venomous and unscrupulous Foxe.
1911. Blackw. Mag., Aug., 221. The doctor seemed to me a venomous little creature.
† 5. Treated with venom or poison; envenomed, poisoned. Obs.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 2570. With the venymous swerde a vayne has he towchede.
c. 1400. Pilgr. Sowle, I. i. (1859), 1. Thenne comme cruel dethe and smote me with his venemous darte.
a. 1470. Harding, Chron., II. cxxxix. Kyng Rychard … Was hurt right ther, with dartes venemous.
1555. Eden, Decades (Arb.), 107. These people also, vse bowes and venemous arrowes.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, 305. It is good against … venimous shot of dartes and arrowes.
1631. Gouge, God’s Arrows, Ded. p. ix. How farre the venime thereof (for it is a venimous arrow) may infect, who knowes?
6. Of or pertaining to, of the nature of, venom.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., VIII. clviii. 3135. Þai thoucht to gere Him with sum venamus poisoun Be distroyit.
1604. Jas. I., Counterbl. to Tobacco (Arb.), 103. Tobacco … hath a certaine venemous facultie ioyned with the heate thereof.
1650. Bulwer, Anthropomet., 159. There being a venemous quality in the paint.
1675. J. Owen, Indwelling Sin, vi. (1732), 50. It is in the Heart like Poison, that hath nothing to allay its venemous Qualities, and so infects whatever it touches.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist., VII. ix. 195. The glands that serve to fabricate this venomous fluid.
1826. Miss Mitford, Village, Ser. II. (1863), 417. It has a fine venomous smell,… and will certainly when stilled be good for something or other.
1887. A. M. Brown, Anim. Alkaloids, 2. Gaspard and Stick … had detected a venomous principle in cadaverous extracts.
fig. 1572. Perry, in Strype, Eccl. Mem. (1721), III. 363. The God of Truth defend you … from the venomous Poyson of Lyars.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., II. 41. Lyk a traytour he steilis in, that … he may saw his venumous poyson.
1866. C. J. Vaughan, Plain Words, i. 10. The personal sins of each one of us … eating like a venomous poison into his soul.
7. Comb. in venomous-hearted, -looking, -tongued, adjs.
1740. Richardson, Pamela (1824), I. xv. 256. Several innocent creatures, might have been entangled … in the ensnaring web of this venomous-hearted spider.
1867. Annie Edwards, Archie Lovell, in Pall Mall G., 3 Jan., 9/2. On Calais pier there were standing some of the most venomous-tongued old women of Morteville.
1899. F. T. Bullen, Way Navy, 65. We sighted the enemy in the shape of one of those venomous-looking four-funnelled destroyers.
