DICT.TW Dictionary Taiwan

 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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 viper's grass
      n : perennial south European herb having narrow entire leaves
          and solitary yellow flower heads and long black-skinned
          carrot-shaped edible roots [syn: black salsify, scorzonera,
           Scorzonera hispanica]