Word Finder - serpents

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A snake.

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An obsolete wind instrument in the brass family, whose shape is suggestive of a snake (Wikipedia article).

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A subtle, treacherous, malicious person.

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A kind of firework with a serpentine motion.

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To wind or meander

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To encircle.

There are numerous venomous serpents, but the mortality from snake-bite is low.

Of serpents there are only two poisonous kinds, the common viper and the adder (Kreuzotter).

Fights between these huge serpents and the crocodiles which infest all the rivers are said to be not uncommon.

Moreover, the Psylli would test the legitimacy of their new-born by exposing them to serpents which would not harm those of pure birth, and a similar ordeal among the Ophiogenes of Asia Minor showed whether a man was really of their kin.

The rites, we may suppose, have become modified and more orthodox, but none the less they are a valuable testimony to the persistence of the cult among people who still claim power over serpents and immunity from their bite, and who live hard by the home of the ancient tribe which ascribed its origin to the son of Circe."

Poisonous serpents, such as the cottonmouth and copperhead, will have slit pupils.

Alex had a phobia about serpents.

Copperhead snakes and rattlesnakes are occasionally seen, and there are several species of harmless serpents.

Serpent cults were well known in ancient Europe; there does not, it is true, appear to be much ground for supposing that Aesculapius was a serpent-god in spite of his connexion with serpents.

Before that time there were only legendary accounts like that of Sindbad's " Valley of the Diamonds," or the tale of the stones found in the brains of serpents.

In this respect, the veneration shown to serpents and monkeys has, however, to be viewed in a somewhat different light, as having a mythical background; whilst quite a special significance attaches to the sacred character assigned to the cow by all classes of Hindus, even those who are not prepared to admit the claim of the Brahman to the exalted position of the earthly god usually conceded to him.

Among the non-poisonous serpents the python ranks first.

Serpents, especially the boa-constrictor, are numerous.

Serpents are not numerous, but several species are poisonous.

Nebuchadrezzar says that he covered the walls of some of them with blue enamelled tiles "on which bulls and dragons were pourtrayed," and that he set up large bulls and serpents of bronze on their thresholds.

He also gives examples of Iowas conversing with serpents.

Zulus, Red Indians, Aztecs,' Andaman Islanders and other races believe that their dead assume the shapes of serpents and of other creatures, often reverting to the form of the animal from which they originally descended.

The chief foes of Indra are Vrittra and Ahi, serpents which swallow up the waters, precisely as frogs do in Australian and Californian and Andaman myths.

Of reptiles the lizard and chameleon are common, and there are a number of venomous serpents, though these are not so numerous as in other tropical countries.

His hands were then bound, and he was cast into a den of venomous serpents; but he played so sweetly on the harp with his toes that he charmed the reptiles, except one adder, by which he was stung to death.

I only abstain from doing them any good, in the full belief that we ought not to cherish serpents.

The statue's base is decorated with the symbol for medicine, two serpents entwined around a staff.

He had endured many frustrations as he followed the serpents ' trails across Europe.

A notable ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic was formed of two serpents in connection with a globe or egg, representing the world.

Keith lives in Norfolk, where he now has the workshop and from where all our serpents and historical oboes are despatched.

Other references to be found in military files include giant sea serpents, and animal mutilations.

We know that diseases were attributed by the Israelites to malignant demons which they, like the Arabs, identified with serpents.

Like the Arabs they held that demons became incorporate in serpents, as in Gen.

The Minoan goddess is sometimes seen in her chthonic form with serpents, sometimes in a more celestial aspect with doves, at times with lions.

The place was the scene of animal sacrifices and a yearly visit of women, and apparently preserved the traces of an old serpent-cult.8 Several practices conform to the idea that " a hair of the dog that bit you " is a sure remedy, and that the serpent was best fitted to overcome other serpents.

Hence also the universal reverence paid to serpents (raga) since those early days; though whether it simply arose from the superstitious dread inspired by the insidious reptile so fatal to man in India, or whether the verbal coincidence with the name of the once-powerful nonAryan tribe of Nagas had something to do with it must remain doubtful.

Bernal Diaz, the old " conquistador," has described the hideous aspect of the idols which Cortes destroyed, " idols in the shape of hideous dragons as big as calves," idols half in the form of men, half of dogs, and serpents which were worshipped as divine.

Swiss Army exists to fortify your resources should you ever find yourself backpacking through Malaysia, wrestling jungle serpents, or stumbling into a unwelcoming pool of quicksand.

Crete, like several other large islands, enjoys immunity from dangerous serpents - a privilege ascribed by popular belief to the intercession of Titus, the companion of St Paul, who according to tradition was the first bishop of the island, and became in consequence its patron saint.

He also has a mitre (q.v.), and carries a crozier (5ucavLs ov), a rather short staff ending in two curved branches decorated with serpents' heads, with a cross between them.

She was represented standing, in a long tunic; on her head was a helmet, ornamented with sphinxes and griffins; on her breast was the aegis, fringed with serpents and the Gorgon's head in centre.

The Reptilia include II species of the crocodile, alligator and lizard, including the savage jacare of the Amazon, several species of turtle, 4 species of batrachians, and 29 species of serpents, including the striped rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus), Lachesis mutus, and a rather rare species of Cophias.

Some of the most exquisite and most ingenious of these earlier productions, such as the magnificent iron eagle in the south Kensington Museum, the wonderful articulated models of crayfish, dragons, serpents, birds, that are found in many European collections, came from the studios of the MiyOchins; but these were the play of giants, and were not made as articles of commerce.

Hera sent two serpents to destory the new-born Hercules, but he strangled them.

The infantine struggle with serpents was a favourite subject.

Perhaps the earliest known instance of his prominent appearance of large size in the sculptures of the temples is under Tahraka, at Jebel Barkal, Nubia, at the beginning of the 7th century B.C. As the protector of children and others he is the enemy of noxious beasts, such as lions, crocodiles, serpents and scorpions.

Among the reptiles are various species of serpents, tortoises, turtles, lizards, &c. Locusts are common and sometimes do great damage.

On the one hand we have sects with a strongly ascetic tendency, on the other we find some characterized by unbridled libertinism; in some the most abandoned prostitution has come to be the most sacred mystery; in others again appears the worship of serpents, which here appears to be connected in various and often very loose ways with the other ideas of these Gnostics - hence the names of the " Ophites," " Naasseni."

The great teocalli of Huitzilopochtli in the city of Mexico stood in an immense square, whence radiated the four principal thoroughfares, its courtyard being enclosed by a square, of which the stone wall, called the coatepantli or serpent-wall from its sculptured serpents, - measured nearly a quarter of a mile on each side.

He led his companions into the desert, and having exhorted the serpents and wild beasts, in the name of the Prophet, to retire, he struck his spear into the ground exclaiming "Here is your Kairawan" (resting-place), so naming the city.'

Their power over serpents has been doubted, yet their performances remain unexplained; they, however, always extract the fangs of venomous serpents.

The Saadia are famous for charming and eating live serpents, &c., and the Ilwania for eating fire, glass, &c. The Egyptians firmly believe in the efficacy of charms, a belief associated with that in an omnipresent and over-ruling providence.

They are further described as having temples (sabuas) in which they suspend images of serpents and other monsters as well as the trophies procured by war.

It is in the form of three serpents twisted together, and before the heads were broken off was at least ft.

Itinerant showmen carry about these serpents, and cause them to assume a dancing motion for the amusement of the spectators.