deadly nightshade

4 definitions found

deadly nightshade - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Nightshade \Night"shade`\, n. [AS. nichtscadu.] (Bot.)
     A common name of many species of the genus Solanum, given
     esp. to the Solanum nigrum, or black nightshade, a low,
     branching weed with small white flowers and black berries
     reputed to be poisonous.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Deadly nightshade. Same as Belladonna
     (a) .
  
     Enchanter's nightshade. See under Enchanter.
  
     Stinking nightshade. See Henbane.
  
     Three-leaved nightshade. See Trillium.
        [1913 Webster]

  deadly \dead"ly\, a.
     1. Capable of causing death; mortal; fatal; destructive;
        certain or likely to cause death; as, a deadly blow or
        wound.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Aiming or willing to destroy; implacable; desperately
        hostile; flagitious; as, deadly enemies.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Thy assailant is quick, skillful, and deadly.
                                                    --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. Subject to death; mortal. [Obs.]
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The image of a deadly man.            --Wyclif (Rom.
                                                    i. 23).
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Deadly nightshade (Bot.), a poisonous plant; belladonna.
        See under Nightshade.
        [1913 Webster]

  Belladonna \Bel`la*don"na\, n. [It., literally fine lady; bella
     beautiful + donna lady.] (Bot.)
     (a) An herbaceous European plant (Atropa belladonna) with
         reddish bell-shaped flowers and shining black berries.
         The whole plant and its fruit are very poisonous, and the
         root and leaves are used as powerful medicinal agents.
         Its properties are largely due to the alkaloid atropine
         which it contains. Called also deadly nightshade.
     (b) A species of Amaryllis (Amaryllis belladonna); the
         belladonna lily.
         [1913 Webster]

deadly nightshade - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  deadly nightshade
      n 1: perennial Eurasian herb with reddish bell-shaped flowers
           and shining black berries; extensively grown in United
           States; roots and leaves yield atropine [syn: belladonna,
           belladonna plant, deadly nightshade, Atropa belladonna
           ]
      2: poisonous perennial Old World vine having violet flowers and
         oval coral-red berries; widespread weed in North America
         [syn: bittersweet, bittersweet nightshade, climbing   nightshade
         , deadly nightshade, poisonous nightshade,
         woody nightshade, Solanum dulcamara]