Word Meanings - VIPER - Book Publishers vocabulary database

Any one of numerous species of Old World venomous makes belonging to Vipera, Clotho, Daboia, and other genera of the family Viperidæ. There came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. Acts xxviii. 3. Note: Among the best-known species

Additional info about word: VIPER

Any one of numerous species of Old World venomous makes belonging to Vipera, Clotho, Daboia, and other genera of the family Viperidæ. There came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. Acts xxviii. 3. Note: Among the best-known species are the European adder (Pelias berus), the European asp , the African horned viper (V. cerastes), and the Indian viper . 2. A dangerous, treacherous, or malignant person. Who committed To such a viper his most sacred trust Of secrecy. Milton. Horned viper. See Cerastes. -- Red viper , the copperhead. -- Viper fish , a small, slender, phosphorescent deep-sea fish . It has long ventral and dorsal fins, a large mouth, and very long, sharp teeth. -- Viper's bugloss , 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 , 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. (more info) vivus alive + parere to bring forth, because it was believed to be the only serpent that brings forth living young. Cf. Quick, a.,

Related words: (words related to VIPER)

• DABOIA
  A large and highly venomous Asiatic viper .
• WORLDLY
  1. Relating to the world; human; common; as, worldly maxims; worldly actions. "I thus neglecting worldly ends." Shak. Many years it hath continued, standing by no other worldly mean but that one only hand which erected it. Hooker. 2. Pertaining
• VIPEROIDEA; VIPEROIDES
  A division of serpents which includes the true vipers of the Old World and the rattlesnakes and moccasin snakes of America; -- called also Viperina.
• THEREAGAIN
  In opposition; against one's course. If that him list to stand thereagain. Chaucer.
• OTHERGUISE; OTHERGUESS
  Of another kind or sort; in another way. "Otherguess arguments." Berkeley.
• THERETO
  1. To that or this. Chaucer. 2. Besides; moreover. Spenser. Her mouth full small, and thereto soft and red. Chaucer.
• GENERABILITY
  Capability of being generated. Johnstone.
• THEREBEFORE; THEREBIFORN
  Before that time; beforehand. Many a winter therebiforn. Chaucer.
• GENERALIZED
  Comprising structural characters which are separated in more specialized forms; synthetic; as, a generalized type.
• WORLDLY-MINDED
  Devoted to worldly interests; mindful of the affairs of the present life, and forgetful of those of the future; loving and pursuing this world's goods, to the exclusion of piety and attention to spiritual concerns. -- World"ly*mind`ed*ness, n.
• THEREOUT
  1. Out of that or this. He shall take thereout his handful of the flour. Lev. ii. 2. 2. On the outside; out of doors. Chaucer.
• GENERALIZABLE
  Capable of being generalized, or reduced to a general form of statement, or brought under a general rule. Extreme cases are . . . not generalizable. Coleridge
• GENERA
  See GENUS
• FAMILY
  A groupe of organisms, either animal or vegetable, related by certain points of resemblance in structure or development, more comprehensive than a genus, because it is usually based on fewer or less pronounced points of likeness. In zoölogy
• FASTENER
  One who, or that which, makes fast or firm.
• WORLD-WIDE
  Extended throughout the world; as, world-wide fame. Tennyson.
• GENERALTY
  Generality. Sir M. Hale.
• SPECIES
  A group of individuals agreeing in common attributes, and designated by a common name; a conception subordinated to another conception, called a genus, or generic conception, from which it differs in containing or comprehending more attributes,
• THEREUNDER
  Under that or this.
• VIPER
  Any one of numerous species of Old World venomous makes belonging to Vipera, Clotho, Daboia, and other genera of the family Viperidæ. There came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. Acts xxviii. 3. Note: Among the best-known species
• NOTOTHERIUM
  An extinct genus of gigantic herbivorous marsupials, found in the Pliocene formation of Australia.
• MAJOR GENERAL
  . An officer of the army holding a rank next above that of brigadier general and next below that of lieutenant general, and who usually commands a division or a corps.
• UNREGENERACY
  The quality or state of being unregenerate. Glanvill.
• ISOGEOTHERMAL; ISOGEOTHERMIC
  Pertaining to, having the nature of, or marking, isogeotherms; as, an isogeothermal line or surface; as isogeothermal chart. -- n.
• SMOTHER
  Etym: 1. To destroy the life of by suffocation; to deprive of the air necessary for life; to cover up closely so as to prevent breathing; to suffocate; as, to smother a child. 2. To affect as by suffocation; to stife; to deprive of air by a thick
• INNUMEROUS
  Innumerable. Milton.
• ISOTHEROMBROSE
  A line connecting or marking points on the earth's surface, which have the same mean summer rainfall.
• ANOTHER-GUESS
  Of another sort. It used to go in another-guess manner. Arbuthnot.
• RETROGENERATIVE
  Begetting young by retrocopulation.
• UNMOTHERED
  Deprived of a mother; motherless.
• ISOTHERMAL
  Relating to equality of temperature. Having reference to the geographical distribution of temperature, as exhibited by means of isotherms; as, an isothermal line; an isothermal chart. Isothermal line. An isotherm. A line drawn on a diagram
• EEL-MOTHER
  The eelpout.
• ISOTHERMOBATHIC
  Of or pertaining to an isothermobath; possessing or indicating equal temperatures in a vertical section, as of the ocean.