Viper

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  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. (Zool.) Any one of numerous species of Old World venomous
        snakes belonging to {Vipera}, {Clotho}, {Daboia}, and
        other genera of the family {Viperidae}.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              There came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on
              his hand.                             --Acts xxviii.
                                                    3.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     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}).
           [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A dangerous, treacherous, or malignant person.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Who committed
              To such a viper his most sacred trust
              Of secrecy.                           --Milton.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. Loosely, any venomous or presumed venomous snake.
        [PJC]
  
     {Horned viper}. (Zool.) See {Cerastes}.
  
     {Red viper} (Zool.), the copperhead.
  
     {Viper fish} (Zool.), 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}.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  viper
       n : venomous Old World snakes characterized by hollow
           venom-conducting fangs in the upper jaw

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  22 Moby Thesaurus words for "viper":
     animal, beast, cur, dog, hound, hyena, insect, mongrel, ophidian,
     pig, pit viper, polecat, reptile, sea snake, serpent, skunk, snake,
     swine, varmint, vermin, whelp, worm
  
  

From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:

  Viper
     In Job 20:16, Isa. 30:6; 59:5, the Heb. word eph'eh is thus
     rendered. The Hebrew word, however, probably denotes a species
     of poisonous serpents known by the Arabic name of 'el ephah.
     Tristram has identified it with the sand viper, a species of
     small size common in sandy regions, and frequently found under
     stones by the shores of the Dead Sea. It is rapid in its
     movements, and highly poisonous. In the New Testament _echidne_
     is used (Matt. 3:7; 12:34; 23:33) for any poisonous snake. The
     viper mentioned in Acts 28:3 was probably the vipera aspis, or
     the Mediterranean viper. (See {ADDER}.)