v. in·tox·i·cat·ed, in·tox·i·cat·ing, in·tox·i·cates v.tr. 1. a. To impair the physical and mental faculties of (a person) by means of alcohol or a drug or other chemical substance: served strong cocktails that intoxicated all the guests. b. To damage physiologically by means of a chemical substance; poison: birds that were intoxicated by pesticides. 2. To stimulate or excite: "a man whom life intoxicates, who has no need of wine" (Anaïs Nin). v.intr. To cause impairment, stimulation, or excitement by or as if by use of a chemical substance: "The notion of Holy War is showing that it has not yet lost all its power to intoxicate and to inflame" (Conor Cruise O'Brien). [Middle English, to poison, from Medieval Latin intoxicāre, intoxicāt- : Latin in-, in; see IN-2 + Late Latin toxicāre, to smear with poison (from Latin toxicum, poison; see TOXIC).] in·toxi·cat′ing·ly adv. in·toxi·ca′tive adj. in·toxi·ca′tor n. |
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