Ser"pent (?), n. [F., fr. L.
serpens, -entis (sc. bestia), fr. serpens,
p. pr. of serpere to creep; akin to Gr. &?;&?;&?;, Skr.
sarp, and perhaps to L. repere, E. reptile. Cf.
Herpes.] 1. (Zoöl.) Any
reptile of the order Ophidia; a snake, especially a large snake. See
Illust. under Ophidia.
&fist; 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.
4. (Astron.) The constellation
Serpens.
5. (Mus.) A bass wind instrument, of a
loud and coarse tone, formerly much used in military bands, and
sometimes introduced into the orchestra; -- so called from its
form.
Pharaoh's serpent (Chem.), mercuric
sulphocyanate, a combustible white substance which in burning gives
off a poisonous vapor and leaves a peculiar brown voluminous residue
which is expelled in a serpentine from. It is employed as a scientific
toy. -- Serpent cucumber (Bot.), the
long, slender, serpentine fruit of the cucurbitaceous plant
Trichosanthes colubrina; also, the plant itself. --
Serpent eage (Zoöl.), any one of
several species of raptorial birds of the genera Circaëtus
and Spilornis, which prey on serpents. They inhabit Africa,
Southern Europe, and India. The European serpent eagle is
Circaëtus Gallicus. -- Serpent
eater. (Zoöl.) (a) The
secretary bird. (b) An Asiatic antelope; the
markhoor. -- Serpent fish (Zoöl.),
a fish (Cepola rubescens) with a long, thin, compressed
body, and a band of red running lengthwise. -- Serpent
star (Zoöl.), an ophiuran; a brittle
star. -- Serpent's tongue (Paleon.),
the fossil tooth of a shark; -- so called from its resemblance to
a tongue with its root. -- Serpent withe
(Bot.), a West Indian climbing plant (Aristolochia
odoratissima). -- Tree serpent
(Zoöl.), any species of African serpents belonging to
the family Dendrophidæ.
Ser"pent, v. i. [imp. & p.
p. Serpented; p. pr. & vb. n.
Serpenting.] To wind like a serpent; to crook about; to
meander. [R.] "The serpenting of the Thames."
Evelyn.
Ser"pent, v. t. To wind; to
encircle. [R.] Evelyn.
Ser"pent (?), n. [F., fr. L.
serpens, -entis (sc. bestia), fr. serpens,
p. pr. of serpere to creep; akin to Gr. &?;&?;&?;, Skr.
sarp, and perhaps to L. repere, E. reptile. Cf.
Herpes.] 1. (Zoöl.) Any
reptile of the order Ophidia; a snake, especially a large snake. See
Illust. under Ophidia.
&fist; 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.
4. (Astron.) The constellation
Serpens.
5. (Mus.) A bass wind instrument, of a
loud and coarse tone, formerly much used in military bands, and
sometimes introduced into the orchestra; -- so called from its
form.
Pharaoh's serpent (Chem.), mercuric
sulphocyanate, a combustible white substance which in burning gives
off a poisonous vapor and leaves a peculiar brown voluminous residue
which is expelled in a serpentine from. It is employed as a scientific
toy. -- Serpent cucumber (Bot.), the
long, slender, serpentine fruit of the cucurbitaceous plant
Trichosanthes colubrina; also, the plant itself. --
Serpent eage (Zoöl.), any one of
several species of raptorial birds of the genera Circaëtus
and Spilornis, which prey on serpents. They inhabit Africa,
Southern Europe, and India. The European serpent eagle is
Circaëtus Gallicus. -- Serpent
eater. (Zoöl.) (a) The
secretary bird. (b) An Asiatic antelope; the
markhoor. -- Serpent fish (Zoöl.),
a fish (Cepola rubescens) with a long, thin, compressed
body, and a band of red running lengthwise. -- Serpent
star (Zoöl.), an ophiuran; a brittle
star. -- Serpent's tongue (Paleon.),
the fossil tooth of a shark; -- so called from its resemblance to
a tongue with its root. -- Serpent withe
(Bot.), a West Indian climbing plant (Aristolochia
odoratissima). -- Tree serpent
(Zoöl.), any species of African serpents belonging to
the family Dendrophidæ.
Ser"pent, v. i. [imp. & p.
p. Serpented; p. pr. & vb. n.
Serpenting.] To wind like a serpent; to crook about; to
meander. [R.] "The serpenting of the Thames."
Evelyn.
Ser"pent, v. t. To wind; to
encircle. [R.] Evelyn.
