Emily Dickinson Lexicon

VEN'OM, n. [Fr. venin; It. veneno; L. venenum; W. gwenwyn. It appears by the Welsh word and its affinities that the primary sense is raging, furious, and hence it is to be referred to the root of L. venor, to hunt, to drive or chase; venio, to come. See Venus, &c.]

1. Poison; matter fatal or injurious to life. Venom is generally used to express noxious matter that is applied externally, or that is discharged from animals, as that of bite and stings of serpents, scorpions, &c.; and poison, to express substances taken into the stomach.
2. Spite; malice. – Cyc.