Forms: α. 4–6 envenim, -ym(e, 4–5 envenem(e, -om, 4 envinim, 5 envemyn, (envemon), 7 envenome, 6– envenom. β. 6 inveneme, (invennom), 7 invenim, -ome, 7–8 invenom. See also ANVENOM. [ME. envenime-n, ad. OFr. envenimer, f. en (see EN-1) + OFr. venim (mod. venin) VENOM:—L. venēn-um poison.]
† 1. trans. To venom (a person, an animal); to poison by contact, bite, inoculation, etc. Also absol.
c. 1300. K. Alis., 5611. Addres, guiures [printed quinres], and dragouns Wolden this folk mychel and lyte, Envenymen and abite.
1340. Ayenb., 26. Þe eddre þet al enuenymeþ.
c. 1400. Maundev., v. (1839), 54. The serpentes byten hem & envenyme hem.
c. 1450. Lonelich, Grail, lii. 240. Thanne sawh he wel that envemyned he was.
1535. More, On the Passion, Wks. 1274/1. Being … so sore envenomed with so mani poison spottes.
1665–6. Phil. Trans., I. 391. A Toad may envenome outwardly.
1665. Flagellum; or O. Cromwell (1672), Pref. That poyson of Asps under his lips which … will envenome even those of the Species that come near it.
1725. Bradley, Fam. Dict., s.v. Vives, Do not touch them with your Fingers, for it will invenom them.
fig. c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 272. Weiward disciplis, þat envenymyn and distroien holy Chirche.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Wife’s Prol., 474. But age, allas! that al wol envenyme.
1612. W. Parkes, Curtaine-Dr., To Rdr. A iij b. He in-venomes all the eares that heare him.
2. To put venom or poison on (a weapon, etc.); to taint (the air, ground, etc.) with poison; to render noxious or poisonous. Cf. ENVENOMED ppl. a.
c. 1325. Coer de L., 4349. Envenymyd ther takyl was.
1393. Gower, Conf., I. 234. An arwe … Whiche he to-fore had envenimed.
c. 1450. Lonelich, Grail, l. 603. A knyf … the wheche envemyned was.
c. 1500. Melusine, 161. The king was wounded with a dart enuenymed by the sawdans hand.
1555. Eden, Decades W. Ind., III. IX. (Arb.), 177. The women … vse to inueneme their arrowes.
1602. Shaks., Ham., V. ii. 332. The point envenom’d too, Then venome to thy worke.
1615. Surfl. & Markh., Country Farm, 291. The Caper-tree inueniming the whole ground, and making of it barren.
1675. Traherne, Chr. Ethicks, xxvi. 405. Because the Colours are envenomed wherewith he painteth his face.
1871. Napheys, Prev. & Cure Dis., I. ii. 73. Plants which thus envenom the sweet.
b. To infuse venom or bitterness into (actions, relations, etc.); to impart bitterness to (the feelings or words of a person); to embitter, make virulent.
1533. Bellenden, Livy, V. (1822), 395. Knaw ye nocht how thir wageis war invennomit be poisoun of inemyis.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 634. Their wordes were swete as sugar, and their thoughtes were all enuenomed.
1658. Lady’s Call., II. § 3. 87. It rather envenoms the crime and adds unnaturalness to deceit.
1859. Mill, Liberty, iv. 152. Nothing in the … practice of Christians does more to envenom the hatred of Mahommedans.
1866. Felton, Anc. & Mod. Gr., II. viii. 424. The complicated passions that envenomed the strife.
3. fig. To impregnate with moral ‘venom’; to corrupt, vitiate.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Boeth., IV. iii. 120. Þe vtteriste wikkednesse … infectiþ and enuenemyþ hem gretely.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 7474. For men may finde alway sopheme The consequence to enveneme.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., ii. 7. Þe devill had envenemyd all mankynd.
1641. Milton, Church Discip., I. (1851), 19. A universall tetter of impurity had invenom’d every part.
1705. Stanhope, Paraphr., III. 433. We will hope … that no Minds so invenom’d can be found.
1883. I. Taylor, Fanat., iv. 71. The imagination … envenomed by hatred.
