Revised 2018
† zebra poisonnoun
Factsheet
What does the noun zebra poison mean?
There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun zebra poison. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.
This word is now obsolete. It is only recorded in the 1870s.
Where does the noun zebra poison come from?
Earliest known use
1870s
The only known use of the noun zebra poison is in the 1870s.
OED's earliest evidence for zebra poison is from 1871, in the writing of John Smith, botanist and horticulturist.
Nearby entries
- zebrafish, n.1771–
- zebraic, adj.1858–
- zebra marking, n.1854–
- zebra moray, n.1933–
- zebra mule, n.1841–
- zebra mussel, n.1866–
- zebrano, n.1908–
- zebra opossum, n.1808–
- zebra parakeet, n.1856–
- zebra plant, n.1826–
- zebra poison, n.1871–74
- zebra print, n. & adj.1932–
- zebra rhomb, n.1770–1844
- zebra rock, n.1895–
- zebra rush, n.1882–
- zebra shark, n.1804–
- zebra skin, n.1774–
- zebra spider, n.1806–
- zebra suit, n.1853–
- zebra swallowtail, n.1855–
- zebra wolf, n.1808–
Meaning & use
Obsolete.
- 1871–74Any of various South African tree spurges (genus Euphorbia) whose milky latex was formerly used by local hunters to poison waterholes used by wild mammals.
- 1871
Zebra Poison... Its milky juice is highly poisonous, whole herds of zebras having been killed by branches of it being placed in the water which they drank.
J. Smith, Domestic Botany 257 - 1874
Zebra-poison. The South African Euphorbia arborea.
J. Lindley & T. Moore, Treasury of Botany (revised edition) Supplement 1352/2
- aconitum?a1450–A preparation or extract of the root of an aconite (genus Aconitum), esp. A. napellus, used as a drug (now mainly in alternative forms of medicine)…
- aconite1569–= aconitum, n. 1; (also figurative and poetic) deadly poison.
- cocculus indicus1591–The commercial name of the dried berries of Anamirta (formerly Menispermium) Cocculus, a climbing plant found in Malabar and Sri Lanka; the berry is…
- female-bane1601–A poisonous plant mentioned by ancient authors, perhaps a kind of aconite.
- timbo1725–Any of various South American woody vines cultivated as a source of fish poison and the insecticide rotenone, esp. those of the genus Lonchocarpus…
- Suriname poison1756–A tropical leguminous plant, Tophrosia toxicaria, or the poison derived from the leaves.
- ipoh1779–The upas tree, Antiaris toxicaria, or a creeping shrub, Strychnos ignatii, both of which are native to SE. Asia and have a poisonous sap; also…
- upas1783–The poison obtained from the upas-tree.
- tanghin1788–A poison obtained from the kernels of Tanghinia venenifera, N.O. Apocynaceæ, a shrub of Madagascar, the fruit of which is a large purplish drupe…
- picrotoxin1815–An intensely bitter polycyclic toxin, C30H34O13, obtained from the seeds of the shrub Anamirta cocculus and related plants of the family Menisperm…
- nicotine1817–A toxic, colourless or yellowish, oily liquid alkaloid which is the chief active constituent of tobacco, acting as a stimulant in small doses…
- strychnine1819–A highly poisonous vegetable alkaloid, C21H22N2O2, obtained chiefly from Strychnos Nux-vomica and other plants of the same genus. It is used in…
- vauqueline1819Chemistry. Strychnine.
- brucia1820–1905= brucine, n.
- brucine1820–A bitter, moderately toxic alkaloid similar in structure and action to strychnine, and like strychnine found in nux vomica (Strychnos nux-vomica)…
- picrotoxia1823–75= picrotoxin, n.
- strychnia1823–= strychnine, n.
- digitalin1824–Any of several substances or medicinal preparations extracted from the leaves or seeds of plants of the genus Digitalis; spec. (a) a standardized…
- dulcamara1828–The perennial plant bittersweet or woody nightshade, Solanum dulcamara (now rare); an extract or medicinal preparation of this plant, typically…
- conine1829–An alkaloid (C8H17N) which forms the poisonous principle of hemlock (Conium maculatum); it is an oily liquid, with a peculiar suffocating odour…
- bikh1830–The poison of various species of Aconite, esp. Aconitum ferox; also the root or plant yielding it.
- nicotia1830–92Chemistry. A substance present in extracts of tobacco, either nicotianin or (usually) nicotine.
- sassy wood1835–The bark of a sasswood tree, or a decoction of this, used as an ordeal poison (now historical); (occasionally also) a sasswood tree, or the wood of…
- atropine1836–A poisonous alkaloid found in the Deadly Nightshade and the seeds of the Thorn-apple.
- menispermia1837= menispermine, n.
- nicotina1838–75Chemistry. = nicotine, n. Obsolete.
- solanine1838–A poisonous alkaloid, or a compound containing an alkaloid, found in various plants of the genus Solanum.
- strychnina1838= strychnine, n.
- tanghicin1838
- urari1838–(See quots. 1859 at sense, 1866 at sense.)
- conia1842–= conine, n.
- conicine1842–= conine, n.
- amanitine1847–The active narcotic principle of poisonous fungi.
- oenanthin1848–A poisonous resinous substance obtained from the tubular water dropwort, Oenanthe fistulosa.
- menispermine1849–A colourless crystalline alkaloid, C18H24N2O2, obtained from the fruit of cocculus indicus, Anamirta (formerly Menispermum) cocculus, and the…
- tetanine1857An old name for strychnine. Obsolete.
- hyoscyamine1858–An extremely poisonous alkaloid (C17H23NO3), obtained from the seeds of Hyoscyamus niger and some other Solanaceæ, isomerous with atropine; used…
- barbasco1860–The popular name of a variety of South American plants, chiefly of the family Lonchocarpus, the roots of which yield a poison; hence, the poison…
- nicotylia1862–73= nicotine, n.
- antiarin1863–The poisonous principle of the Upas tree.
- xylostein1864–A poisonous bitter substance found in the berries of the fly-honeysuckle, Lonicera Xylosteum.
- oleandrin1866–A toxic cardiac glycoside, C32H48O9, with diuretic properties present in the leaves of the oleander.
- jatrophine1867–A poison derived from J. manihot.
- zebra poison1871–74Any of various South African tree spurges (genus Euphorbia) whose milky latex was formerly used by local hunters to poison waterholes used by wild…
- andromedotoxin1883–A poisonous crystalline substance found in various ericaceous plants, esp. the genus Andromeda.
- abrin1884–A highly poisonous glycoprotein present in the seeds (jequirity beans) of the jequirity or Indian liquorice, Abrus precatorius.
- ouabain1888–A cardiac glycoside, C29H44O12, which is the active principle of the arrow poison ouabaio and is also found in the seeds of lianas of the related…
- strophanthus1888–Botany. A genus of plants of the N.O. Apocynaceæ, native of tropical Africa and Asia, having strongly poisonous qualities; a plant of this genus.
- toxiresin1890–Name of a poisonous substance obtained from digitalis by the action of acids.
- manchineel1891–Poison obtained from the manchineel tree.
- tuba1898–In the Malay archipelago, the Philippines, etc., the name of species of Derris from the roots of which an intoxicating juice is extracted; also…
- taxine1907–A poisonous alkaloid found in these leaves (New Sydenham Soc. Lexicon 1899).
- phytotoxin1909–A toxin derived from a plant.
- oenanthotoxin1911–A toxic polyunsaturated alcohol found in the roots of hemlock water dropwort, Oenanthe crocata; 2,8,10-heptadecatriene-4,6-diyne-1,14-diol, C17H22O2.
- hypoglycin1954–Either of two related toxins occurring naturally in the unripe fruit of the ackee, Blighia sapida, typically causing severe vomiting if ingested…
- physic nut1657–A tropical American shrub, Jatropha curcas (family Euphorbiaceae), having large, roundish to heart-shaped, sometimes lobate leaves and a reddish…
- milk-bush1696–Any of various shrubs or small trees of the southern hemisphere which have a milky sap and are often succulent; esp. (a) South African and Indian En…
- milk-tree1698–Any of various trees yielding a milky sap, in some cases drinkable; esp. (a) = milk-bush, n. (a); (b) any of several tropical South American trees…
- poison-bush1740–60A spurge (genus Euphorbia). Obsolete.
- jatropha1754–Any of various shrubs, trees, and succulent plants now or formerly included in the genus Jatropha (family Euphorbiaceae); esp. (in early use) the…
- milky-hedge1773–97= milk hedge, n.
- milk hedge1780–1840A hedge of milk-bush (see milk-bush, n. (a)); cf. earlier milky-hedge, n.
- chandelier plant1827–A species of Euphorbia.
- Jew bush1830–A tropical American spurge, Euphorbia tithymaloides, previously used medicinally for its emetic properties and now cultivated as a garden plant…
- candelabrum1834–Simple attributive. Also prefixed (in form candelabrum or candelabra) to the names of trees with foliage shaped like a candelabrum, esp. a tropical…
- poinsettia1836–Any of various shrubby plants of the former genus Poinsettia (now included in Euphorbia), native to Central America and the southern United States…
- slipper-plant1848–(See quot.).
- coquillo1851–The Physic nut, Curcas purgans, a native of tropical America, the seeds of which yield an oil used as a purgative.
- stringwood1866–A small tree of St. Helena, Acalypha rubra, now extinct, named from its pendent spikes of reddish sterile flowers (Treasury Bot. 1866).
- zebra poison1871–74Any of various South African tree spurges (genus Euphorbia) whose milky latex was formerly used by local hunters to poison waterholes used by wild…
- oil tree1879–Any of various trees and large shrubs having fruits or seeds that yield an oil; spec. †(a) an oleaster or olive tree (obsolete); (b) the castor oil…
- picture-tree1885An arborescent plant of the genus Acalypha (family Euphorbiaceae) having markings on the leaves suggestive of pictures.
- slipper spurs1886–= slipper-plant, n.
- monkey fiddle1913–a. Caribbean any of several shrubs of the tropical American genus Pedilanthus (family Euphorbiaceae), esp. P. tithymaloides and P. bahamensis…
- milk plant1965–Any of various plants yielding a milky juice, esp. (a) U.S. = milk pea, n.; (b) Australian any of various spurges, esp. Euphorbia drummondii.