Adder
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
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. (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}.
[1913 Webster]
Note: In the sculptures the appellation is given to several
venomous serpents, -- sometimes to the horned viper
({Cerastles}).
[1913 Webster]
from
Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
Adder
(Ps. 140:3; Rom. 3:13, "asp") is the rendering of, (1.) Akshub
("coiling" or "lying in wait"), properly an asp or viper, found
only in this passage. (2.) Pethen ("twisting"), a viper or
venomous serpent identified with the cobra (Naja haje) (Ps.
58:4; 91:13); elsewhere "asp." (3.) Tziphoni ("hissing") (Prov.
23:32); elsewhere rendered "cockatrice," Isa. 11:8; 14:29; 59:5;
Jer. 8:17, as it is here in the margin of the Authorized
Version. The Revised Version has "basilisk." This may have been
the yellow viper, the Daboia xanthina, the largest and most
dangerous of the vipers of Palestine. (4.) Shephiphon
("creeping"), occurring only in Gen. 49:17, the small speckled
venomous snake, the "horned snake," or cerastes. Dan is compared
to this serpent, which springs from its hiding-place on the
passer-by.
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