Hemlock

Pronunciation: /ˈhɛmlɑk/

Definitions of hemlock

noun a highly poisonous plant belonging to the pine family, typically having small white flowers and small, dark green leaves

Example Sentences

A1 Hemlock is a type of poisonous plant.

A2 Some animals avoid eating hemlock because it is toxic to them.

B1 The hemlock tree can be found in certain regions of North America.

B2 In ancient Greece, hemlock was used as a method of execution.

C1 Botanists study the properties of hemlock in order to understand its toxicity.

C2 The hemlock poison acts on the nervous system, leading to paralysis and death.

Examples of hemlock in a Sentence

formal Hemlock is a highly poisonous plant that can be fatal if ingested.

informal I heard that hemlock is growing wild in the field behind the old barn.

slang Don't touch that hemlock, it's bad news.

figurative The presence of hemlock in the garden symbolizes danger and toxicity.

Grammatical Forms of hemlock

• past tense: hemlocked
• plural: hemlocks
• comparative: more hemlock
• superlative: most hemlock
• present tense: hemlocks
• future tense: will hemlock
• perfect tense: have hemlocked
• continuous tense: is hemlocking
• singular: hemlock
• positive degree: hemlock
• infinitive: to hemlock
• gerund: hemlocking
• participle: hemlocked

Origin and Evolution of hemlock

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'hemlock' originates from the Old English word 'hemlic', which is derived from the Old High German word 'hemilich', meaning 'poison'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'hemlock' has come to specifically refer to a poisonous plant of the genus Conium, rather than just any general poison.