ENGLISH
REFERENCE

poisoning

n. C / U
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈpɔɪzənɪŋ// UK //pˈɔɪzənɪŋ// poi·son·ing

n. the condition of being sick or dying because you swallowed, touched, or breathed in something dangerous. It can happen from bad food, chemicals, or medicine.

n. the physiological state of illness or death caused by the ingestion, inhalation, or absorption of a toxic substance. Often modified by the source of the toxin to specify the condition.


SIMPLE

He went to the hospital with food poisoning.

CONTEXTUAL

The factory was fined after several workers suffered from lead poisoning due to poor safety equipment.

COMPLEX

The forensic report confirmed that the victim died of carbon monoxide poisoning, likely caused by a faulty heating system in the poorly ventilated apartment.

Synonyms
Origin

By surface analysis, poison + -ing.

Usage

Uncountable when referring to the general phenomenon or medical state; countable when referring to specific instances or types of the condition.

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