By : Katie Emmitt, Corey Faller, Chelsee Wooten

A sort of "reasoning" that try's to discredit what a person might later claim by presenting unwanted information whether it be legit information or made up about the person.
Simply: A type of fallacy in which a person attempts to place an opponent in a position from which he/she is unable to reply .

I wish it were possible for men to get really emotionally involved in this question [abortion]. It is really impossible for the man, for whom it is impossible to be in this situation, to really see it from the woman's point of view. That is why I am concerned that there are not more women in this
House available to speak about this from the woman's point of view.
Source: House of Commons Debates of Canada , Volume 2, November 30, 1979, p. 1920

Tom says, "Don't listen to Jim, he's a scoundrel.“
Tom has created a false preconception that everything Jim say’s is incorrect or that he is untrustworthy.
Source: "Fallacy: Poisoning the Well." Fallacy: Poisoning the
Well . Web. 20 Feb. 2013.

Act:2 Pg.198
H ale: Good, then. In the book of record that
Mr. Parris Keeps, I note that you are rarely in the church on Sabbath day.
Proctor: No, Sir, you are mistaken
Hale: Twenty-six time in seventeen month, sir.
I must call that rare. Will you tell me why you are so absent?
Act:2 Pg.199
Hale: How comes it that only two
(sons) are baptized.
Proctor: I like it not that Mr. Parris
Should lay his hand upon my baby.
I see no light of God in that man. I will not conceal it.

Act:3 Pg. 208 Act: 3 Pg.211
Danforth: Who is this man?
Cheever: He plow on Sunday, sir.
Danforth: plow on Sunday!
Parris: Giles Corey, sir and a more contentious-
Cheever: I think it be evidence, John. I am an official of the court, I cannot keep it.
Proctor: I-I have once or twice plowed on
Sunday. I have three children, sir, and until last year my land gave very little.
Giles: You will find other Christians that do plow on Sunday if the truth do be known.

• http://bookmarkblogs.com/_data/userpics/bi g_thumb/poisoning-the-well.jpg
• http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/pois oning-the-well.html
• http://www.fallacyfiles.org/poiswell.html