puffing adder

puffing adder
Adder Ad"der, n. [OE. addere, naddere, eddre, AS. n[ae]dre, adder, snake; akin to OS. nadra, OHG. natra, natara, Ger. natter, Goth. nadrs, Icel. na[eth]r, masc., na[eth]ra, fem.: cf. W. neidr, Gorn. naddyr, Ir. nathair, L. natrix, water snake. An adder is for a nadder.] 1. A serpent. [Obs.] ``The eddre seide to the woman.'' --Wyclif. Gen. iii. 4. ) [1913 Webster]

2. (Zo["o]l.) (a) A small venomous serpent of the genus {Vipera}. The common European adder is the {Vipera berus} or {Pelias berus}. The puff adders of Africa are species of {Clotho}. (b) In America, the term is commonly applied to several harmless snakes, as the {milk adder}, {puffing adder}, etc. (c) Same as {Sea Adder}. [1913 Webster]

Note: In the sculptures the appellation is given to several venomous serpents, -- sometimes to the horned viper ({Cerastles}). [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Puffing adder — Puffing Puff ing, a. & n. from {Puff}, v. i. & t. [1913 Webster] {Puffing adder}. (Zo[ o]l.) Same as {Puff adder} (b), under {Puff}. {Puffing pig} (Zo[ o]l.), the common porpoise. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • puffing adder — Hognosesnake Hog nose snake (Zo[ o]l.) A harmless North American snake of the genus {Heterodon}, esp. {Heterodon platyrhynos}; called also {puffing adder}, {blowing adder}, and {sand viper}. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • puffing adder — noun : hognose snake …   Useful english dictionary

  • Puffing — Puff ing, a. & n. from {Puff}, v. i. & t. [1913 Webster] {Puffing adder}. (Zo[ o]l.) Same as {Puff adder} (b), under {Puff}. {Puffing pig} (Zo[ o]l.), the common porpoise. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Puffing pig — Puffing Puff ing, a. & n. from {Puff}, v. i. & t. [1913 Webster] {Puffing adder}. (Zo[ o]l.) Same as {Puff adder} (b), under {Puff}. {Puffing pig} (Zo[ o]l.), the common porpoise. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Adder — Ad der, n. [OE. addere, naddere, eddre, AS. n[ae]dre, adder, snake; akin to OS. nadra, OHG. natra, natara, Ger. natter, Goth. nadrs, Icel. na[eth]r, masc., na[eth]ra, fem.: cf. W. neidr, Gorn. naddyr, Ir. nathair, L. natrix, water snake. An adder …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • milk adder — Adder Ad der, n. [OE. addere, naddere, eddre, AS. n[ae]dre, adder, snake; akin to OS. nadra, OHG. natra, natara, Ger. natter, Goth. nadrs, Icel. na[eth]r, masc., na[eth]ra, fem.: cf. W. neidr, Gorn. naddyr, Ir. nathair, L. natrix, water snake. An …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • blowing adder — Hognosesnake Hog nose snake (Zo[ o]l.) A harmless North American snake of the genus {Heterodon}, esp. {Heterodon platyrhynos}; called also {puffing adder}, {blowing adder}, and {sand viper}. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • blowing adder — Puff Puff, n. [Akin to G. & Sw. puff a blow, Dan. puf, D. pof; of imitative origin. Cf. {Buffet}.] 1. A sudden and single emission of breath from the mouth; hence, any sudden or short blast of wind; a slight gust; a whiff. To every puff of wind a …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Puff adder — Puff Puff, n. [Akin to G. & Sw. puff a blow, Dan. puf, D. pof; of imitative origin. Cf. {Buffet}.] 1. A sudden and single emission of breath from the mouth; hence, any sudden or short blast of wind; a slight gust; a whiff. To every puff of wind a …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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