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noun viper n. 1.(Zool.) Any one of numerous species of Old World venomous snakes belonging to Vipera, Clotho, Daboia, and other genera of the family Viperidae. "There came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand." Note: Among the best-known species are the European adder (Pelias berus), the European asp (Vipera aspis), the African horned viper (Vipera cerastes), and the Indian viper (Daboia Russellii). 2.A dangerous, treacherous, or malignant person. "Who committed To such a viper his most sacred trust Of secrecy." 3.Loosely, any venomous or presumed venomous snake. Horned viper. (Zool.) See Cerastes. Red viper (Zool.), the copperhead. Viper fish (Zool.), a small, slender, phosphorescent deep-sea fish (Chauliodus Sloanii). It has long ventral and dorsal fins, a large mouth, and very long, sharp teeth. Viper's bugloss (Bot.), a rough-leaved biennial herb (Echium vulgare) having showy purplish blue flowers. It is sometimes cultivated, but has become a pestilent weed in fields from New York to Virginia. Also called blue weed. Viper's grass (Bot.), a perennial composite herb (Scorzonera Hispanica) with narrow, entire leaves, and solitary heads of yellow flowers. The long, white, carrot-shaped roots are used for food in Spain and some other countries. Called also viper grass.
adjective Horned adj. Furnished with a horn or horns; furnished with a hornlike process or appendage; as, horned cattle; having some part shaped like a horn. "The horned moon with one bright star Within the nether tip." Horned bee (Zool.), a British wild bee (Osmia bicornis), having two little horns on the head. Horned dace (Zool.), an American cyprinoid fish (Semotilus corporialis) common in brooks and ponds; the common chub. Horned frog (Zool.), a very large Brazilian frog (Ceratophrys cornuta), having a pair of triangular horns arising from the eyelids. Horned grebe (Zool.), a species of grebe (Colymbus auritus), of Arctic Europe and America, having two dense tufts of feathers on the head. Horned horse (Zool.), the gnu. Horned lark (Zool.), the shore lark. Horned lizard (Zool.), the horned toad. Horned owl (Zool.), a large North American owl (Bubo Virginianus), having a pair of elongated tufts of feathers on the head. Several distinct varieties are known; as, the Arctic, Western, dusky, and striped horned owls, differing in color, and inhabiting different regions; called also great horned owl, horn owl, eagle owl, and cat owl. Sometimes also applied to the long-eared owl. See Eared owl, under Eared. Horned poppy. (Bot.) See Horn poppy, under Horn. Horned pout (Zool.), an American fresh-water siluroid fish; the bullpout. Horned rattler (Zool.), a species of rattlesnake (Crotalus cerastes), inhabiting the dry, sandy plains, from California to Mexico. It has a pair of triangular horns between the eyes; called also sidewinder. Horned ray (Zool.), the sea devil. Horned screamer (Zool.), the kamichi. Horned snake (Zool.), the cerastes. Horned toad (Zool.), any lizard of the genus Phrynosoma, of which nine or ten species are known. These lizards have several hornlike spines on the head, and a broad, flat body, covered with spiny scales. They inhabit the dry, sandy plains from California to Mexico and Texas. Called also horned lizard. Horned viper. (Zool.) See Cerastes.
Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48
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