snake

n. [ AS. snaca; akin to LG. snake, schnake, Icel. snākr, sn&unr_;kr, Dan. snog, Sw. snok; of uncertain origin. ] (Zool.) Any species of the order Ophidia; an ophidian; a serpent, whether harmless or venomous. See Ophidia, and Serpent. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Snakes are abundant in all warm countries, and much the larger number are harmless to man. [ 1913 Webster ]

Blind snake,
Garter snake,
Green snake,
King snake,
Milk snake,
Rock snake,
Water snake, etc. See under Blind, Garter, etc. --
Fetich snake (Zool.), a large African snake (Python Sebae) used by the natives as a fetich. --
Ringed snake (Zool.), a common European columbrine snake (Tropidonotus natrix). --
Snake eater. (Zool.) (a) The markhoor. (b) The secretary bird. --
Snake fence, a worm fence (which see). [ U.S. ] --
Snake fly (Zool.), any one of several species of neuropterous insects of the genus Rhaphidia; -- so called because of their large head and elongated neck and prothorax. --
Snake gourd (Bot.), a cucurbitaceous plant (Trichosanthes anguina) having the fruit shorter and less snakelike than that of the serpent cucumber. --
Snake killer. (Zool.) (a) The secretary bird. (b) The chaparral cock. --
Snake moss (Bot.), the common club moss (Lycopodium clavatum). See Lycopodium. --
Snake nut (Bot.), the fruit of a sapindaceous tree (Ophiocaryon paradoxum) of Guiana, the embryo of which resembles a snake coiled up. --
Tree snake (Zool.), any one of numerous species of colubrine snakes which habitually live in trees, especially those of the genus Dendrophis and allied genera. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Snaked p. pr. & vb. n. Snaking. ] 1. To drag or draw, as a snake from a hole; -- often with out. [ Colloq. U.S. ] Bartlett. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Naut.) To wind round spirally, as a large rope with a smaller, or with cord, the small rope lying in the spaces between the strands of the large one; to worm. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To crawl like a snake. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ So named from its snakelike neck. ] (Zool.) 1. Any one of four species of aquatic birds of the genus Anhinga or Plotus. They are allied to the gannets and cormorants, but have very long, slender, flexible necks, and sharp bills. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The American species (Anhinga anhinga syn. Plotus anhinga) inhabits the Southern United States and tropical America; -- called also darter, and water turkey. The Asiatic species (Anhinga melanogaster) is native of Southern Asia and the East Indies. Two other species inhabit Africa and Australia respectively. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) The wryneck. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) (a) The band fish. (b) The lizard fish. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A loose, bent-up end of one of the strap rails, or flat rails, formerly used on American railroads. It was sometimes so bent by the passage of a train as to slip over a wheel and pierce the bottom of a car. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot.) (a) The turtlehead. (b) The Guinea-hen flower. See Snake's-head, and under Guinea. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) The snakebird, 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) Any one of several plants of different genera and species, most of which are (or were formerly) reputed to be efficacious as remedies for the bites of serpents; also, the roots of any of these. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The Virginia snakeroot is Aristolochia Serpentaria; black snakeroot is Sanicula, esp. Sanicula Marilandica, also Cimicifuga racemosa; Seneca snakeroot is Polygala Senega; button snakeroot is Liatris, also Eryngium; white snakeroot is Eupatorium ageratoides. The name is also applied to some others besides these. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) The Guinea-hen flower; -- so called in England because its spotted petals resemble the scales of a snake's head. Dr. Prior. [ 1913 Webster ]

Snake's-head iris (Bot.), an iridaceous plant (Hermodactylus tuberosus) of the Mediterranean region. The flowers slightly resemble a serpent's open mouth. [ 1913 Webster ]