Word Meanings - SERPENT - Book Publishers vocabulary database

Any reptile of the order Ophidia; a snake, especially a large snake. See Illust. under Ophidia. 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

Additional info about word: SERPENT

Any reptile of the order Ophidia; a snake, especially a large snake. See Illust. under Ophidia. 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. 2. Fig.: A subtle, treacherous, malicious person. 3. A species of firework having a serpentine motion as it passess through the air or along the ground. (more info) serpens, p. pr. of serpere to creep; akin to Gr. sarp, and perhaps to

Related words: (words related to SERPENT)

• UNDERDOER
  One who underdoes; a shirk.
• UNDERBRED
  Not thoroughly bred; ill-bred; as, an underbred fellow. Goldsmith.
• UNDERSECRETARY
  A secretary who is subordinate to the chief secretary; an assistant secretary; as, an undersecretary of the Treasury.
• UNDERPLOT
  1. A series of events in a play, proceeding collaterally with the main story, and subservient to it. Dryden. 2. A clandestine scheme; a trick. Addison.
• UNDERNICENESS
  A want of niceness; indelicacy; impropriety.
• UNDERSOIL
  The soil beneath the surface; understratum; subsoil.
• UNDERDOLVEN
  p. p. of Underdelve.
• UNDERNIME
  1. To receive; to perceive. He the savor undernom Which that the roses and the lilies cast. Chaucer. 2. To reprove; to reprehend. Piers Plowman.
• UNDERPROP
  To prop from beneath; to put a prop under; to support; to uphold. Underprop the head that bears the crown. Fenton.
• UNDERCREST
  To support as a crest; to bear. Shak.
• UNDERGROUND INSURANCE
  Wildcat insurance.
• UNDERSAY
  To say by way of derogation or contradiction. Spenser.
• UNDERTAPSTER
  Assistant to a tapster.
• UNDERDELVE
  To delve under.
• UNDERSTOOD
  imp. & p. p. of Understand.
• UNDERDO
  To do less than is requisite or proper; -- opposed to overdo. Grew.
• UNDERCOAT
  1. A coat worn under another; a light coat, as distinguished from an overcoat, or a greatcoat. 2. A growth of short hair or fur partially concealed by a longer growth; as, a dog's undercoat.
• AGAINSTAND
  To withstand.
• UNDERCAST
  To cast under or beneath.
• UNDERRATE
  A price less than the value; as, to sell a thing at an underrate. Cowley.
• PLUNDERER
  One who plunders or pillages.
• RATTLESNAKE
  Any one of several species of venomous American snakes belonging to the genera Crotalus and Caudisona, or Sistrurus. They have a series of horny interlocking joints at the end of the tail which make a sharp ratting sound when shaken. The common
• DUNDERHEAD
  A dunce; a numskull; a blockhead. Beau. & Fl.
• TEN-POUNDER
  A large oceanic fish found in the tropical parts of all the oceans. It is used chiefly for bait.
• IMBORDER
  To furnish or inclose with a border; to form a border of. Milton.
• HOTPRESSED
  Pressed while heat is applied. See Hotpress, v. t.