Definition of Aligator
Alligator, a N. American fresh-water crocodile, numerous in the
Mississippi and the lakes and rivers of Louisiana and Carolina; subsists
on fish, and though timid, is dangerous when attacked; is slow in
turning, however, and its attacks can be easily evaded.
- Wikipedia
Al"li*ga`tor (&?;), n. [Sp. el lagarto
the lizard (el lagarto de Indias, the cayman or American crocodile),
fr. L. lacertus, lacerta, lizard. See Lizard.]
1. (Zoöl.) A large carnivorous reptile of
the Crocodile family, peculiar to America. It has a shorter and broader
snout than the crocodile, and the large teeth of the lower jaw shut into
pits in the upper jaw, which has no marginal notches. Besides the common
species of the southern United States, there are allied species in South
America.
2. (Mech.) Any machine with strong jaws, one
of which opens like the movable jaw of an alligator; as,
(a) (Metal Working) a form of squeezer for the
puddle ball; (b) (Mining) a rock
breaker; (c) (Printing) a kind of job
press, called also alligator press.
Alligator apple (Bot.), the fruit of the
Anona palustris, a West Indian tree. It is said to be narcotic in
its properties. Loudon. -- Alligator fish
(Zoöl.), a marine fish of northwestern America
(Podothecus acipenserinus). -- Alligator gar
(Zoöl.), one of the gar pikes (Lepidosteus spatula)
found in the southern rivers of the United States. The name is also applied
to other species of gar pikes. -- Alligator pear
(Bot.), a corruption of Avocado pear. See
Avocado. -- Alligator snapper,
Alligator tortoise, Alligator turtle
(Zoöl.), a very large and voracious turtle (Macrochelys
lacertina) inhabiting the rivers of the southern United States. It
sometimes reaches the weight of two hundred pounds. Unlike the common
snapping turtle, to which the name is sometimes erroneously applied, it has
a scaly head and many small scales beneath the tail. This name is sometimes
given to other turtles, as to species of Trionyx. --
Alligator wood, the timber of a tree of the West
Indies (Guarea Swartzii).
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
ALLIGATOR, n. The crocodile of America, superior in every detail to
the crocodile of the effete monarchies of the Old World. Herodotus
says the Indus is, with one exception, the only river that produces
crocodiles, but they appear to have gone West and grown up with the
other rivers. From the notches on his back the alligator is called a
sawrian.
- 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue
- a large amphibious reptile with sharp teeth and very strong jaws related to the crocodile and native to the Americas and China.
All you could see of the alligator were its two eyes above the water, and suddenly it snatched up and caught the poor bird with its strong jaws full of sharp teeth.
Dutch
- alligator
French
- alligator
German
- alligator
Latin
- one that ties or binds
Swedish
- alligator
- The Nuttall Encyclopedia
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