well poisoning
Tainting drinking sources
Well poisoning is a rhetorical tactic of preemptively discrediting a source or argument before it can be heard: He poisoned the well by calling her a liar before she could testify.
The metaphor comes from the medieval accusation—often directed at Jews—of literally contaminating water supplies.
The phrase names a logical fallacy: attacking credibility to prevent fair evaluation of evidence.
- contaminationIntroduction of impurities
- water supplyProvisioned H2O delivery system
- arsenicToxic metalloid element
- medievalOf the Middle Ages
- dark agesEra of decline or stagnation
Black Death · conspiracy · blood libel · false accusation · plague · aquifer · toxic · murder · foul play · groundwater · accusation · scapegoat · persecution · witch hunt · cyanide · cholera · sabotage · paranoia
- rural crimescattle rustling, horse theft, poaching, rustling, water theft
well poisoningwater purification
Rendering liquid safe to drink
water treatment · well digging · watershed protection · water sanitation
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