DICT.TW Dictionary Taiwan

 Ad·der, n.
 1. A serpent. [Obs.] “The eddre seide to the woman.”
 2. Zool. (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.
 Note: ☞ In the sculptures the appellation is given to several venomous serpents, -- sometimes to the horned viper (Cerastles).
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 vi·per 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.   --Acts xxviii. 3.
 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.   --Milton.
 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.
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