How do you define poisonous?

7 years ago

What does that mean to you?

I see people mention poisonous in in terms of food regularly with wildly different meanings. Sometimes it seems to mean it might give someone a bellyache if they ate 10 pounds at a sitting (Anything?) Sometimes it seems to mean the person does like the flavor. Said food might give some people the trots. Sometimes it seems to mean a relatively small amount ingested will make someone ill or even be life threatening - which is my interpretation.

Featured Answer

dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m

7 years ago

poisonous = quick death, even in small quantity.

Toxic = slow death, in larger quantities.

dcarch

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (9)

PRO
Lars/J. Robert Scott
7 years ago
To me, it means potentially deadly. If it is only harmful and not deadly, then I would call it toxic. However, a lot of things can be deadly if taken into extreme excess but are not generally considered poisonous. One or two glasses of wine won't kill you (although they will kill fruit flies), but excessive alcohol can. I've heard of people dying from drinking too much water, or being forced to drink too much water.

In general, I consider something poisonous if it is deadly in small doses, such as arsenic or hemlock.
bragu_DSM 5
7 years ago
As a diabetic ... sugar and carbs are poison ...
Related Discussions
How do you define it?
Q
Comments (8)
Oh do I ever love PD James.I've read all her books and some of them twice.I guess I've grown up with the term cottage because it was used in fairy tales a lot and the pictures always showed it to be a little house tucked in the woods,with lots of flowers around it.The English cottages I really liked when we were there were usually small,made of beautiful weathered stone and dripped charm with all the greenery.There is even a magazine out on the stands here called Cottage living,or something like that. I think a lot of us would love a small cottage somewhere.A squat as far as I know is just an abandoned building where people go to live if they don't want to pay any rent. Sometimes they get evicted and some times they don't. ( I Googled this) I'll bet Sara could clear this one up. So which James book are you reading?
...See More
How do you define a good (or great) cook?
Q
Comments (23)
Like some of you have said, I don't consider myself a good cook. I am an OK recipe follower and I like to eat good food, so I cook. My aunt is a good cook. She can put together a meal out of nothing. It's really amazing, she goes in the kitchen, putters around and you really have no idea what she is doing in there and it seems like nothing, and then she pulls out an amazing meal. She has a great sense of taste and texture and what to make out of what. She is not a fancy, gourmet cook, her food just tastes good. I have also noted that she creates thing bit by bit, which is why it seems like she pulls meals out of nowhere. She starts a dish in the AM or the day before and does some aspect of cooking it and then just keeps going at odd times. She has a grand scheme of her kitchen and food and pantry in her mind. I'm always amazed by her, because she doesn't have fancy serving ware or antyhing, she can serve up the best dessert on a chipped dime store plate. And nothing fancy either, but she knows what pleases. Like when my dad or her son come to her house for a visit, blintzes will be made . . . On the other hand, practice makes perfect if you have a good palate. I am not too shabby with rice, beans, pasta and soup, because I make them constantly. I now have a tasty repertoire of taste combos and techniques in my mind. So some of it is just good taste, knowing what works for your tried and true favorites. That's my biggest problem actually, my sense of adventure. For every "Wow that was good!" concoction that I try, there are three or four "Meh's" and a sometimes a "Yuk." I dunno, perhaps a great cook never goes there . . . but it is my domain most of the time.
...See More
How do you define 'Dated'?
Q
Comments (28)
The home shows call fixtures dated because fixture manufacturers sponsor the home shows and want you to buy more of their product. If something feels dated 10 years after being the best thing since sliced bread then you have fallen for the advertising industry's brainwashing. Almost everything is "dated" if you are familiar enough with it to estimate when it was manufactured. I think "dated" comes more from decorating that was done in response to fads than it does with regards to actual dates or eras. If everyone is doing granite and stainless steel because it is "in", then in 20 years granite and stainless steel is going to be looked at as dated because it is everywhere, reminds folks of the '00's, and they want the next newest and best thing. Classic elements are always a better choice than what is currently "in" and this is exactly why. It is entirely possible IMO to decorate a home that won't be dated in 20 years but you won't do it by following the advice of home shows and trend magazines. You do it by choosing classic timeless pieces to begin with and not just getting what everyone else thinks is cool or the latest greatest new thing.
...See More
How Do You Define Dessert?
Q
Comments (30)
Apropos of very little, back prior to retirement, often at the lunch table I'd tell everyone I was headed back into the cafeteria to pick up dessert. (For the last 5-6 years working I pretty much had brought in my own lunches, which simply by so doing I'd lost 40 pounds...) At any rate, the regulars at the table rapidly learned to know what I meant. The not-so-regulars at our table were always stunned when I'd come back with a dish of spinach or asparagus. Yep, dessert, end of meal treat for me! (That cafeteria always made the best asparagus, had to have it!) I do something similar at sushi bars on occasion: "Time for dessert! Yes, I'd love a yellowtail scallion hand roll, thank you!" (I do eat sweets on occasion, but there are really very few I truly enjoy. Quality dark chocolate, some cheesecakes, strawberries or raspberries, ice cream... and I don't have the cravings often.)
...See More
Susan Tencza
7 years ago
Celiac/Coeliac wheat is slow poison to gut . . . so sometimes it isn't clear to everyone, what is one person's feast is poison to another.
plllog
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
in my world there are two meanings:

A.) Literally poisonous. Will sicken and/or kill you. Deadly nightshade, arsenic, cyanide. Nightshade is a plant in the same family as tomatoes--don't eat nightshade leaves! Arsenic is a element and found in a number of minerals, sometimes in the soil where a lot of USA rice is grown, and in the rice grown there. You can build up a tolerance if you ingest very small amounts, but people who eat a lot of rice are warned to eat imported rice rather than too much arsenic. Cyanide occurs in peach pits, apricot pits and even apple seeds.

Also as in food poisoning, bacteria and others. E. coli, salmonella, listeria, botulism, anthrax, mad cow, etc. Not the food itself, but something in the food.

Also, severe allergens. Foods that other people get good nutrition and pleasure from that might sicken and/or kill the individual who has an allergy to peanuts, fish, eggs, gluten, etc.

B.) Metaphorical hyperbole. Is so disgusting it makes you feel like it will kill you. E.g., "My mother-in-law tried to poison me with her green bean casserole."
annie1992
7 years ago
I agree, poisonous means a substance that can kill you, or make you extremely ill although you might survive it.

Toxic substances are something else and food allergies and sensitivities are something else again. My oldest daughter is both celiac and lactose intolerant. So, gluten can (eventually) kill her, making it a poison for her but not for others. Dairy is only going to upset her digestive system, so it's toxic, but not poisonous.

Annie
2ManyDiversions
7 years ago
^^ My definitions are everything Annie said : )
artemis_ma
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Poisonous is potentially deadly.

I used to love pistachios. They're not poisonous to me since they only make me WISH to be dead, rather than being potentially deadly. They won't kill me, but if I'm a guest in your home, I'll be occupying your throne for a lengthy period of time. None of these will be happy about that (especially if your home houses only one throne.)

(Pine nuts are in the same category. I just did an experiment to discover yes, I can still eat almonds.)
sooz
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
How do I define poisonous?

My good friend's mother in law!

In terms of food, something that can/may/will make you ill or can/may/will cause you to die.

How do you define poisonous?

dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m

Comments (9)

Lars/J. Robert Scott

bragu_DSM 5

Related Discussions

Susan Tencza

plllog

annie1992

2ManyDiversions

artemis_ma

sooz

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US