viper
/'vaipə/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A venomous snake: A type of snake found primarily in the Old World (Europe, Africa, Asia) that has long, hollow fangs through which it injects venom. This is the primary zoological definition.
- A malicious or treacherous person: (Figurative) Used to describe a person who is spiteful, deceitful, or dangerous.
Examples of Usage
- Noun (Animal):
- The hiker was very careful to avoid the viper hiding in the rocks.
- Vipers, like the European adder, are often identified by their triangular heads.
- Noun (Figurative - Person):
- He was a viper in the company, always spreading lies about his colleagues.
- She warned them not to trust the political viper who had betrayed so many.
Advanced Usage
- "Nourish a viper in one's bosom": To show kindness to someone who later proves to be treacherous or ungrateful. This is an idiom derived from Aesop's fables.
- By hiring his nephew, he had nourished a viper in his bosom; the young man soon tried to steal his clients.
Variants and Related Words
- Viperine (adj): Relating to or resembling a viper.
- The snake had a viperine appearance, but it was actually harmless.
- Viperous (adj): Malicious or venomous in nature (usually figurative).
- His viperous comments poisoned the atmosphere of the meeting.
Synonyms
- Adder: A common name for certain viper species, especially in Europe.
- Serpent: A literary or biblical term for a snake, often implying danger or evil.
- Snake (figurative): A treacherous or deceitful person.
Related Phrases
- Viper's nest: A situation or group characterized by intense malice, betrayal, or danger.
- The boardroom had become a viper's nest of intrigue and backstabbing.
Related Idioms
- Viper in one's bosom: Similar to "nourish a viper in one's bosom," referring to a treacherous person close to you.
- He discovered too late that his closest advisor was a viper in his bosom.
Noun
- venomous Old World snakes characterized by hollow venom-conducting fangs in the upper jaw