Pentadecylacatechol

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Poison \Poi"son\, n. [F. poison, in Old French also, a potion,
     fr. L. potio a drink, draught, potion, a poisonous draught,
     fr. potare to drink. See {Potable}, and cf. {Potion}.]
     1. Any agent which, when introduced into the animal organism,
        is capable of producing a morbid, noxious, or deadly
        effect upon it; as, morphine is a deadly poison; the


        poison of pestilential diseases.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. That which taints or destroys moral purity or health; as,
        the poison of evil example; the poison of sin.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Poison ash}. (Bot.)
        (a) A tree of the genus {Amyris} ({Amyris balsamifera})
            found in the West Indies, from the trunk of which a
            black liquor distills, supposed to have poisonous
            qualities.
        (b) The poison sumac ({Rhus venenata}). [U. S.]
  
     {Poison dogwood} (Bot.), poison sumac.
  
     {Poison fang} (Zool.), one of the superior maxillary teeth of
        some species of serpents, which, besides having the cavity
        for the pulp, is either perforated or grooved by a
        longitudinal canal, at the lower end of which the duct of
        the poison gland terminates. See Illust. under {Fang}.
  
     {Poison gland} (Biol.), a gland, in animals or plants, which
        secretes an acrid or venomous matter, that is conveyed
        along an organ capable of inflicting a wound.
  
     {Poison hemlock} (Bot.), a poisonous umbelliferous plant
        ({Conium maculatum}). See {Hemlock}.
  
     {Poison ivy} (Bot.), a poisonous climbing plant (formerly
        {Rhus Toxicodendron}, or {Rhus radicans}, now classified
        as {Toxicodendron radicans}) of North America. It is
        common as a climbing vine, especially found on tree
        trunks, or walls, or as a low, spreading vine or as a
        shrub. As a low vine it grows well in lightly shaded
        areas, recognizable by growing in clusters of three
        leaves. Its leaves are trifoliate, rhombic-ovate, and
        variously notched. Its form varies slightly from location
        to location, leading to some speculation that it may
        consist of more than one species. Many people are poisoned
        by it, though some appear resistant to its effects.
        Touching the leaves may leave a residue of an oil on the
        skin, and if not washed off quickly, sensitive areas of
        skin become reddened and develop multiple small blisters,
        lasting for several days to several weeks, and causing a
        persistent itch. The toxic reaction is due to an oil,
        present in all parts of the plant except the pollen,
        called {urushiol}, the active component of which is the
        compound {pentadecylacatechol} (according to [a
  
        href="http:]/www.jaxmed.com/articles/Diseases/poison_ivy_dermatitis.htm">Charles
        H. Booras). See {Poison sumac}. It is related to {poison
        oak}, and is also called {mercury}.
  
     {Poison nut}. (Bot.)
        (a) Nux vomica.
        (b) The tree which yields this seed ({Strychnos
            Nuxvomica}). It is found on the Malabar and Coromandel
            coasts.
  
     {Poison oak} (Bot.), a dermatitis-producing plant often
        lumped together with the poison ivy ({Toxicodendron
        radicans}) in common terminology, but more properly
        distinguished as the more shrubby {Toxicodendron
        quercifolium} (syn. {Toxicodendron diversilobum}), common
        in California and Oregon. Opinion varies as to whether the
        poison oak and poison ivy are only variants of a single
        species. See {poison ivy}, above.
  
     {Poison sac}. (Zool.) Same as {Poison gland}, above. See
        Illust. under {Fang}.
  
     {Poison sumac} (Bot.), a poisonous shrub formerly considered
        to be of the genus {Rhus} ({Rhus venenata}), but now
        classified as {Toxicodendron vernix}; -- also called
        {poison ash}, {poison dogwood}, and {poison elder}. It has
        pinnate leaves on graceful and slender common petioles,
        and usually grows in swampy places. Both this plant and
        the poison ivy ({Toxicodendron radicans}, formerly {Rhus
        Toxicodendron}) have clusters of smooth greenish white
        berries, while the red-fruited species of this genus are
        harmless. The tree ({Rhus vernicifera}) which yields the
        celebrated Japan lacquer is almost identical with the
        poison sumac, and is also very poisonous. The juice of the
        poison sumac also forms a lacquer similar to that of
        Japan.
        [1913 Webster +PJC]
  
     Syn: Venom; virus; bane; pest; malignity.
  
     Usage: {Poison}, {Venom}. Poison usually denotes something
            received into the system by the mouth, breath, etc.
            Venom is something discharged from animals and
            received by means of a wound, as by the bite or sting
            of serpents, scorpions, etc. Hence, venom specifically
            implies some malignity of nature or purpose.
            [1913 Webster]