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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Venom(o)us, adj. Also: wenomus, -ose, vennom(o)us, wennom(o)us, venamus(e, wenamous, vennamus, venemous, -mus(e, wenemous, vennem(o)us(e, wennemous, venym(e)ous, venim(o)us, venumous, ven'mowse, venenows, wenenows, (venesum); venoms, venows. [ME and e.m.E. venimous (c1290), venimouse (Manning), venomus, venymous(e (all a1340), venemus (c1340), venomous (a1450), venenous (1656), OF venimeux, F. vénéneus, L. venēnōsus.]

1. Of (part of) a snake, etc.: Containing venom, having a venomous bite or sting. b. fig. Chiefly of the Devil.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxxi 396.
Na serpent has a hed … Sa venamuse, na sa cruel, As the hed of the colubre is 1513 Doug. ii vii 36.
He … tred on a rowch serpent … and for feir bukwart sprent, Seand hir, reddy to stang … Set vp hir vennamus [Sm. venemous, Ruddim. venomous] ȝallo boldyn nek(b) c1420 Wynt. vi 323.
A serpent all wgly … Fell apperand, [and] venenows [C. wenenows] a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 228.
Venus was … Angrie as ony serpent vennemous 1494 Loutfut MS 24b.
Serpentis lesardis & othir venemus bestes 1494 Loutfut MS 31a.
Aspide is a maner of vennemus serpent 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 985.
A vennemous [L. vennamus] dragoun or ane deuill of hell Is na compair to the iniquitie Of bald wemen 1549 Compl. 20/26.
Venemuse 1549 Compl. 28/5.
Serpens ande vthir venesum beystis 1596 Dalr. I 64/3.
[In Orkney] thair is nocht ane serpent fund, nor fund is thair na vennemous beist(c) a1500 Henr. Orph. 105.
Scho trampit on a serpent wennomus c1515 Asl. MS I 155/8.
Wikkit diuers corruppit airis and wyld bestes and wennomus wormis thair [sc. in Africa] c1650-1700 Descr. Zetland 14.
Here are no venomous nor noysom creatures, except miceb. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1225.
To tempt this man was all hir mynde … Scho was the Deuillis wonder kynd … O vyle uiper maist vennemus a1568 Maitland in Bann. MS 13b/141.
O crewall serpent vennemus … Thow fals bound slave vnto the Divill Thow first inventar of the evill a1570-86 Maitl. F. 235/1.
O cruell tyger and serpent vennomous … Infidele channoun and seriand vitious(b) c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1006.
To the serpent God said thus: O thow dissauer venimous a1578 Pitsc. II 239/31.
The Devill … that wicked and venimus serpent quho gois about to sie quhome he may catch

2. Of (part of) a person: Nasty, malicious, evil in character. a1400 Leg. S. xxxvii 265.
Of wenomose tonge That tysis me … I dred thé nocht a1500 Bk. Chess 302.
This duke he had a frende callit Arispus That was so crabit & so wennomous Vnto this duke 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4348.
The gude wife … rais with minde malitious, With haitrent hart and vult richt venemous 1562-3 Winȝet II 61/17.
Eschewand the prophane nouelteis of woices … as fra a viper [etc.] … leste thai slay thee nocht onlie be tueching, bot also be thair sicht and venemous aind 1567 Sat. P. iv 109.
O wickit wemen, vennomus of nature! 1600-1610 Melvill 275.
I can nocht omit unmentioned a maist vennemus and malitius prosecutor … Mr. Jhone Arthour, stubburnlie and despytfullie refusing all reasone

3. Of a substance, place, thing, etc.: Having the nature of poison; infected or anointed with poison; poisonous; capable of poisoning. c1420 Wynt. vii 1353.
Hys mynysterys … Prewaly put in his chalyce Wenenows [E. venomus, W. wenamous, L. venemous] poysowne c1420 Wynt. viii 3135 (W).
Venamus [A., E.² wenemous, R. venows] c1420 Liber Calchou 449 (see Venom(e n. 2).
Venoms a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1185 (Asl.).
Hell is a place mast vyle & wennomus Ane dirk dungeoun for creaturis dampnat 1490 Irland Mir. I 86/9.
Euill inclinacioune … in the first man & woman … was causit of the wenomus morsell that thei eit 1513 Doug. x iii 47.
Thar myght men thé se, Invnctand venemus schaftus the ilk tyde Addres dartis, and wyrk wondis full wyde 1531 Bell. Boece I xiv.
Fude most vennomus c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iii 42.
Deianira with ane sark venemous Brint Hercules 1562-3 Winȝet II 64/30.
Ewill weidis and … thair venomous iuse 1567 G. Ball. 81.
He ouerthrew The serpent, and his vennemous stang a1605 Montg. Flyt. 341 (T).
Venymeous water 1604 James VI Tobacco 91/6.
Tobacco … hath a certaine venemous facultie ioyned with the heate thereof 1613 Crim. Trials III 263.
He in maist lamentable maner deceissit, of the said vennemous and poysoneable drink 1611-57 Mure Dido & Æneas iii 108.
Collecting als, … The milkie poyson of each ven'mowse weed 1622 Crim. Trials III 514.
Witchcraft can nocht be accomplischet as witchcraft, bot be characteris, signes … poysonet watteris … vennemous oyles, woirdis, speiches [etc.]

4. fig. Of an action, feeling, etc.: Morally wrong, pernicious; spiteful, malicious. a1500 Henr. Fab. 613.
Thir twa sinnis, flatterie and vaneglore, Ar vennomous [Bann. venemous] a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 453 (Arund.).
To preif the venomus propyne Off syn 1513 Doug. ix 59.
The vennamus [Ruddim. venymous] ardent fyre Of fraudfull luf 1531 Bell. Boece II 207.
Hir vennomus ire wes boldin every day with mair indignation 1536 Lynd. Answ. Flyting 16.
Wer I ane poeit, I suld preis with my pen To wreik me on ȝour wennemous wryting 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5880.
The empreour … kendillit was in fell fyrie furour Contrair his son in mynde malitious, Be entysing of his wyfe vennemous 1558-66 Knox I 8.
This article we dowbt not to be the vennemouse accusatioun of the ennemyes, whose practise has ever bene to mack the doctrin of Jesus Christ suspect to kingis and rewllaris 1596 Dalr. II 41/7.
[They] directed … Paul Crau, to Scotland, to spred … Wickleffes doctrine … he prepares to the college of S. Androis … lyk a traytour he steilis in that … he may saw his venumous poyson 1638 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 165.
The preaching of false doctrine, and venemous poysone of that kinde