Literary notes about envenom (AI summary)
The word "envenom" has been employed in literature to evoke a sense of deliberate corruption or poisoning, both in literal and metaphorical contexts. In the Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson [1], the term is presented in a lexically historical and formal manner, emphasizing its antiquated usage and morphological variations. In contrast, Charlotte Brontë’s usage in Villette [2] is more evocative and dynamic, suggesting an action that not only poisons but also incapacitates, hinting at the power to paralyze. Together, these examples underscore the versatility of "envenom" in capturing both the literal process of poisoning and a figurative process of debilitating influence.