† veneficaladj.
Obsolete.
1. = venefic adj. Also figurative.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > use of drugs and poison > poison > [adjective]
atternc950
atteryc1000
venomousc1330
atteringc1400
poisonous1425
venenousc1425
malice1447
toxicatec1475
poisonable?a1505
empoisoning1526
venomful1544
poisonful1547
poisoning1561
infectious1585
poisonsome1590
banefula1593
poisony1605
toxical1607
aconic1623
mephitic1623
intoxicative1632
venefic1646
toxic1664
venene1665
venenose1673
virose1680
mephitical1704
venefical1716
septinous1875
virific1885
nocuous1890
biocidal1932
1716 M. Davies Athenæ Britannicæ II. ii. To Rdr. 9 The same Contagious and Venefical Distemper of Brains and Body.
2. Practising, associated with, malignant sorcery or witchcraft.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the supernatural > the occult > sorcery, witchcraft, or magic > [adjective] > malignant > practising
venefical1584
veneficiala1646
veneficious1646
the world > the supernatural > the occult > sorcery, witchcraft, or magic > [adjective] > malignant > practising > using poison
venefical1584
veneficiala1646
venefic1646
veneficous1657
veneficious1904
1584 R. Scot Discouerie Witchcraft vi. iv. 120 Of a butcher a right veneficall which.
1609 B. Jonson Masque of Queens in Wks. (Rtldg.) 566 These witches..came forth..with spindles, timbrels, rattles, or other venefical instruments.
1652 J. Gaule Πυς-μαντια 39 This they urge as a proof of the possibility of veneficall, and metamorphosing or transforming Magick.
1715 M. Davies Εἰκων Μικρο-βιβλικὴ Pref. 57 The loose sheets of Northern Sorceries, translated from the original Code of the venefical Text.
Derivatives
ΘΚΠ
the world > the supernatural > the occult > sorcery, witchcraft, or magic > [adverb] > by means of malignant sorcery > by poisoning
venefically1652
1652 J. Gaule Πυς-μαντια 280 A Magician..wrought it venefically, so that the poore man fell suddenly into a strange disease.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1916; most recently modified version published online June 2019).
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adj.1584