Definition

1. Noun:
   • A venomous snake belonging to the elapid family, native to parts of Asia and Africa, characterized by its ability to flatten the ribs in its neck to form a distinctive hood when threatened.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The king cobra is the world's longest venomous snake.
  • The snake charmer played a flute for the spectacled cobra.
  • Cobra venom attacks the nervous system.

Advanced Usage

• "Cobra effect": An economic term referring to a situation where an attempted solution to a problem makes the problem worse, originating from an anecdote about a bounty offered for dead cobras in colonial India.
  • The government's new subsidy had an unintended cobra effect, increasing the very fraud it was meant to stop.

Variants and Related Words

• Cobra lily (n): A common name for several unrelated plants, such as the pitcher plant , whose shape resembles a cobra's head.
• Spitting cobra (n): A type of cobra that can eject venom from its fangs toward the eyes of a perceived threat.

Synonyms

• Elapid: A member of the family Elapidae, which includes cobras, mambas, and coral snakes.
• Venomous snake: A general term for snakes that produce venom.

Related Phrases

• Cobra pose (Bhujangasana): A common back-bending yoga posture named for the raised, hooded stance of the snake.
  • She held the cobra pose to stretch her spine.

Related Idioms

• No idiom directly uses the word "cobra." However, the snake is often referenced in sayings about danger or deception due to its venomous nature.
  • He is as dangerous as a cobra. (Implies someone is treacherous or lethally effective.)

Noun

1. venomous Asiatic and African elapid snakes that can expand the skin of the neck into a hood