Serpent

Serpent
Serpent Ser"pent, n. [F., fr. L. serpens, -entis (sc. bestia), fr. serpens, p. pr. of serpere to creep; akin to Gr. ???, Skr. sarp, and perhaps to L. repere, E. reptile. Cf. {Herpes}.] 1. (Zo["o]l.) Any reptile of the order Ophidia; a snake, especially a large snake. See Illust. under {Ophidia}. [1913 Webster]

Note: The serpents are mostly long and slender, and move partly by bending the body into undulations or folds and pressing them against objects, and partly by using the free edges of their ventral scales to cling to rough surfaces. Many species glide swiftly over the ground, some burrow in the earth, others live in trees. A few are entirely aquatic, and swim rapidly. See {Ophidia}, and {Fang}. [1913 Webster]

2. Fig.: A subtle, treacherous, malicious person. [1913 Webster]

3. A species of firework having a serpentine motion as it passess through the air or along the ground. [1913 Webster]

4. (Astron.) The constellation Serpens. [1913 Webster]

5. (Mus.) A bass wind instrument, of a loud and coarse tone, formerly much used in military bands, and sometimes introduced into the orchestra; -- so called from its form. [1913 Webster]

{Pharaoh's serpent} (Chem.), mercuric sulphocyanate, a combustible white substance which in burning gives off a poisonous vapor and leaves a peculiar brown voluminous residue which is expelled in a serpentine from. It is employed as a scientific toy.

{Serpent cucumber} (Bot.), the long, slender, serpentine fruit of the cucurbitaceous plant {Trichosanthes colubrina}; also, the plant itself.

{Serpent eage} (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of raptorial birds of the genera {Circa["e]tus} and {Spilornis}, which prey on serpents. They inhabit Africa, Southern Europe, and India. The European serpent eagle is {Circa["e]tus Gallicus}.

{Serpent eater}. (Zo["o]l.) (a) The secretary bird. (b) An Asiatic antelope; the markhoor.

{Serpent fish} (Zo["o]l.), a fish ({Cepola rubescens}) with a long, thin, compressed body, and a band of red running lengthwise.

{Serpent star} (Zo["o]l.), an ophiuran; a brittle star.

{Serpent's tongue} (Paleon.), the fossil tooth of a shark; -- so called from its resemblance to a tongue with its root.

{Serpent withe} (Bot.), a West Indian climbing plant ({Aristolochia odoratissima}).

{Tree serpent} (Zo["o]l.), any species of African serpents belonging to the family {Dendrophid[ae]}. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • serpent — [ sɛrpɑ̃ ] n. m. • 1080; lat. serpens, proprt « rampant » 1 ♦ Reptile apode à corps cylindrique très allongé, qui se déplace par des ondulations latérales du corps (⇒ ophidien). Serpents venimeux, non venimeux. « Pas un serpent de nos pays, mais… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Serpent — Создатель: Росс Андерсон, Эли Бихам …   Википедия

  • serpent — SERPENT. s. m. Reptile venimeux. On comprend sous ce nom, Les Viperes, les Couleuvres, les Aspics, &c. Gros serpent. la peau d un serpent. la despoüille d un serpent. morsure de serpent. le venin du serpent. on dit que les serpens changent de… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • Serpent — is a synonym for snake.Serpent can also mean: * Serpent (symbolism), the name given to a snake in a religious or mythological context * Serpent (band), a heavy metal band * Serpent (instrument), a member of the brass family * Serpent… …   Wikipedia

  • Serpent — (v. lat. serpens „Schlange“) bezeichnet ein historisches Musikinstrument, siehe Serpent (Musik) einen Verschlüsselungsalgorithmus, siehe Serpent (Verschlüsselung) eine Gottheit in Form einer Schlange, siehe Serpent (Mythologie) eine… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Serpent — es un algoritmo de cifrado simétrico de bloques que quedó finalista en el concurso Advanced Encryption Standard del NIST, tras Rijndael. Serpent fue diseñado por Ross Anderson, Eli Biham y Lars Knudsen. Como otros participantes del AES Serpent… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • serpent — SERPÉNT, serpente, s.n. Instrument de suflat din sec. XVI, cu tonalitate gravă, înlocuit ulterior de tubă. – Din fr., engl. serpent. Trimis de claudia, 13.09.2007. Sursa: DEX 98  SERPÉNT s. n. instrument muzical de suflat, cu registru grav, care …   Dicționar Român

  • serpent — c.1300, limbless reptile, also tempter in Gen. iii:1 5, from O.Fr. sarpent, from L. serpentem (nom. serpens) snake, from prp. of serpere to creep, from PIE *serp (Cf. Skt. sarpati creeps, sarpah serpent; Gk. herpein …   Etymology dictionary

  • Serpent — Ser pent, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Serpented}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Serpenting}.] To wind like a serpent; to crook about; to meander. [R.] The serpenting of the Thames. Evelyn. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • serpent — sèrpent m <G mn sèrpenātā> DEFINICIJA glazb. drveni puhaći instrument iz 16. st., sastoji se od zmijoliko savijene bušene cijevi od orahovine, presvučene kožom ETIMOLOGIJA fr. serpent: zmija …   Hrvatski jezični portal

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