The police say he swallowed a cyanide capsule to avoid arrest.
cyanide in British English
(ˈsaɪəˌnaɪd) or cyanid (ˈsaɪənɪd)
noun
1.
any salt of hydrocyanic acid. Cyanides contain the ion CN– and are extremely poisonous
2. another name (not in technical usage) for nitrile
Derived forms
cyanidation (ˌcyaniˈdation)
noun
cyanide in American English
(ˈsaɪəˌnaɪd; ˈsaɪəˌnɪd)
noun
1.
a substance composed of a cyanogen group in combination with some element or radical; esp., potassium cyanide, KCN, or sodium cyanide, NaCN, extremely poisonous, white, crystalline compounds with an odor of bitter almonds: used in extracting gold from low-grade ores, electroplating, etc.
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈcyaˌnided or ˈcyaˌniding
2.
to treat with cyanide
Word origin
cyano- + -ide
Examples of 'cyanide' in a sentence
cyanide
They get made into bad guys because they’re using cyanide.
Smithsonian Mag (2017)
Yet a dose of potassium cyanide found its way into his morning coffee.
Geraghty, Tony The Bullet Catchers (1989)
Reports now suggest that he was killed by potassium cyanide.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
He had taken a bite from an apple laced with potassium cyanide.
The Sun (2009)
Why not just give me a cyanide capsule?
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
He was then searched for cyanide pills.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Each fighter carries a cyanide pill for such circumstances.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The victims are also understood to have left a note saying that they had used cyanide.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The inquest will examine whether hydrogen cyanide was present in the house.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It was possibly a hydrogen cyanide attack or possibly chlorine.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
She had with her a glass bottle containing cyanide compound and a medicine bottle containing capsules of drugs.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The dilemma is whether to face the radiation or swallow cyanide pills to avoid a long and painful death.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
He'll save the cyanide capsule for press conferences.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
To avoid delay in withdrawal, each man undertook to bite his cyanide pill if wounded.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
It is poisonous to birds since its body contains cyanide, but its bright colours warn them off.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The rebels have vowed to fight to the death and appear to have been issued with cyanide capsules to ensure that death is the outcome.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The package contained cyanide pills.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Beware - the leaves contain cyanide, which can make the insects bad tempered.
The Sun (2009)
He gave out only his rank, name and serial number, cyanide capsule at the ready.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
They will take cyanide pills,' he said.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Apart from cyanide capsules, I suppose.
The Sun (2016)
In other languages
cyanide
British English: cyanide NOUN
Cyanide is a highly poisonous substance.
...a lethal dose of cyanide.
American English: cyanide
Brazilian Portuguese: cianeto
Chinese: 氰化物
European Spanish: cianuro
French: cyanure
German: Zyanid
Italian: cianuro
Japanese: シアン化物
Korean: 시안화물
European Portuguese: cianeto
Latin American Spanish: cianuro
All related terms of 'cyanide'
cyanide capsule
a capsule containing cyanide , traditionally given to spies and others so that they can die by suicide to avoid capture
cyanide process
a process for recovering gold and silver from ores by treatment with a weak solution of sodium cyanide
sodium cyanide
a white odourless crystalline soluble poisonous compound with an odour of hydrogen cyanide when damp . It is used for extracting gold and silver from their ores and for case-hardening steel. Formula: NaCN
hydrogen cyanide
a colourless poisonous liquid with a faint odour of bitter almonds , usually made by a catalysed reaction between ammonia , oxygen , and methane . It forms prussic acid in aqueous solution and is used for making plastics and dyes and as a war gas. Formula: HCN
potassium cyanide
a white poisonous granular soluble solid substance used in photography and in extracting gold from its ores . Formula: KCN
cyaniding
a process for recovering gold and silver from ores by treatment with a weak solution of sodium cyanide