Pl. -a. [L. toxicum ‘poison,’ orig. ‘poison for arrows,’ ad. Gr. τοξικὸν φάρμακον poison (φάρμακον) for smearing arrows (τοξικός, -όν, f. τόξα pl. arrows, transf. fr. τόξον bow). Τοξικόν = ‘of or pertaining to the bow,’ and had originally nothing to do with poison. But the effect of using τοξικὸν, toxicum as short for the Gr. phrase was to transfer the sense ‘poison’ from φάρμακον to toxicum, first as ‘poison for arrows’ and at length as ‘poison’ generally, = L. venēnum.] Poison: cf. TOXIC sb.
1601. Holland, Pliny, XXIX. iv. II. 355. It is generally thought, that for the venome called Toxicum, there is not a better counterpoyson than dogs bloud.
1657. Physical Dict., Toxicum a venom or poyson wherewith arrows are poysoned.
1669. W. Simpson, Hydrol. Chym., 78. The vital spirits stand amazed as if smitten with a thunder-clap from the uterine toxicum.
1693. trans. Blancard’s Phys. Dict. (ed. 2), Toxica, poysonous Medicaments, wherewith Barbarians use to anoint their Arrows.
1704. in J. Harris, Lex. Techn., I.
