Found 1 items, similar to Pelias berus.
English → English (gcide)
Definition: Pelias berus
Adder
\Ad"der\, n. [OE. addere, naddere, eddre, AS. n[ae]dre,
adder, snake; akin to OS. nadra, OHG. natra, natara, Ger.
natter, Goth. nadrs, Icel. na[eth]r, masc., na[eth]ra, fem.:
cf. W. neidr, Gorn. naddyr, Ir. nathair, L. natrix, water
snake. An adder is for a nadder.]
1. A serpent. [Obs.]
“The eddre seide to the woman.”
--Wyclif. Gen. iii. 4. )
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2. (Zo["o]l.)
(a) A small venomous serpent of the genus
Vipera. The
common European adder is the
Vipera berus or
Pelias berus
. The puff adders of Africa are species of
Clotho.
(b) In America, the term is commonly applied to several
harmless snakes, as the
milk adder,
puffing adder,
etc.
(c) Same as
Sea Adder.
[1913 Webster]
Note: In the sculptures the appellation is given to several
venomous serpents, -- sometimes to the horned viper
(
Cerastles).
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viper
\vi"per\ (v[imac]"p[~e]r), n. [F. vip[`e]re, L. vipera,
probably contr. fr. vivipera; vivus alive + parere to bring
forth, because it was believed to be the only serpent that
brings forth living young. Cf.
Quick, a.,
Parent,
Viviparous,
Wivern,
Weever.]
[1913 Webster]
1. (Zo["o]l.) Any one of numerous species of Old World
venomous snakes belonging to
Vipera,
Clotho,
Daboia,
and other genera of the family
Viperid[ae].
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There came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on
his hand. --Acts xxviii.
3.
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Note: Among the best-known species are the European adder
(
Pelias berus), the European asp (
Vipera aspis),
the African horned viper (
Vipera cerastes), and the
Indian viper (
Daboia Russellii).
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2. A dangerous, treacherous, or malignant person.
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Who committed
To such a viper his most sacred trust
Of secrecy. --Milton.
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3. Loosely, any venomous or presumed venomous snake.
[PJC]
Horned viper. (Zo["o]l.) See
Cerastes.
Red viper (Zo["o]l.), the copperhead.
Viper fish (Zo["o]l.), a small, slender, phosphorescent
deep-sea fish (
Chauliodus Sloanii). It has long ventral
and dorsal fins, a large mouth, and very long, sharp
teeth.
Viper's bugloss (Bot.), a rough-leaved biennial herb
(
Echium vulgare) having showy purplish blue flowers. It
is sometimes cultivated, but has become a pestilent weed
in fields from New York to Virginia. Also called
blue weed
.
Viper's grass (Bot.), a perennial composite herb
(
Scorzonera Hispanica) with narrow, entire leaves, and
solitary heads of yellow flowers. The long, white,
carrot-shaped roots are used for food in Spain and some
other countries. Called also
viper grass.
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