serpent
/'sə:pənt/
Definition
- Noun:
- A limbless, scaly, elongated reptile; some are venomous: A serpent is a snake, a legless reptile with a long, slender body.
- A firework that moves in a serpentine manner when ignited: A type of firework that produces a long, winding ash as it burns.
- An obsolete bass cornet; resembles a snake: An archaic wind instrument with a curved, snake-like shape.
Usage Examples
- Noun (Reptile):
- The ancient symbol often featured a coiled serpent.
- Some serpents, like the cobra, are highly venomous.
- Noun (Firework):
- He lit a serpent, and it wriggled across the pavement.
- Noun (Instrument):
- The museum displayed a serpent from the 18th century.
Advanced Usage
- Biblical/Figurative: "the Serpent": Often capitalized, referring to the devil or a symbol of temptation and evil, as in the Garden of Eden.
- The story warns of the Serpent's deceit.
- "Serpent in one's bosom": An idiom for a treacherous person who has been helped or trusted.
- By betraying the secret, he proved to be a serpent in their bosom.
Variants and Related Words
- Serpentine (adj): Having a winding, twisting shape like a snake.
- They followed the serpentine path up the mountain.
- Serpentiform (adj): Shaped like a serpent.
Synonyms
- Snake: The most common synonym for the reptile meaning.
- Viper: Often implies a venomous or dangerous snake/figurative person.
- Ophidian: A formal, zoological term for a snake.
Related Phrases
- Serpent's tongue: Can refer to forked tongue; figuratively, deceitful speech.
- Old Serpent: A biblical name for Satan.
Related Idioms
- Nourish a serpent in one's bosom: To be kind to someone who later betrays you.
- By funding his campaign, she had nourished a serpent in her bosom.
Noun
-
an obsolete bass cornet; resembles a snake
-
a firework that moves in serpentine manner when ignited
-
limbless scaly elongate reptile; some are venomous
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