from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Serpent \Ser"pent\, n. [F., fr. L. serpens, -entis (sc. bestia),
fr. serpens, p. pr. of serpere to creep; akin to Gr. ???,
Skr. sarp, and perhaps to L. repere, E. reptile. Cf.
{Herpes}.]
1. (Zool.) Any reptile of the order Ophidia; a snake,
especially a large snake. See Illust. under {Ophidia}.
[1913 Webster]
Note: The serpents are mostly long and slender, and move
partly by bending the body into undulations or folds
and pressing them against objects, and partly by using
the free edges of their ventral scales to cling to
rough surfaces. Many species glide swiftly over the
ground, some burrow in the earth, others live in trees.
A few are entirely aquatic, and swim rapidly. See
{Ophidia}, and {Fang}.
[1913 Webster]
2. Fig.: A subtle, treacherous, malicious person.
[1913 Webster]
3. A species of firework having a serpentine motion as it
passess through the air or along the ground.
[1913 Webster]
4. (Astron.) The constellation Serpens.
[1913 Webster]
5. (Mus.) A bass wind instrument, of a loud and coarse tone,
formerly much used in military bands, and sometimes
introduced into the orchestra; -- so called from its form.
[1913 Webster]
{Pharaoh's serpent} (Chem.), mercuric sulphocyanate, a
combustible white substance which in burning gives off a
poisonous vapor and leaves a peculiar brown voluminous
residue which is expelled in a serpentine from. It is
employed as a scientific toy.
{Serpent cucumber} (Bot.), the long, slender, serpentine
fruit of the cucurbitaceous plant {Trichosanthes
colubrina}; also, the plant itself.
{Serpent eage} (Zool.), any one of several species of
raptorial birds of the genera {Circaetus} and {Spilornis},
which prey on serpents. They inhabit Africa, Southern
Europe, and India. The European serpent eagle is
{Circaetus Gallicus}.
{Serpent eater}. (Zool.)
(a) The secretary bird.
(b) An Asiatic antelope; the markhoor.
{Serpent fish} (Zool.), a fish ({Cepola rubescens}) with a
long, thin, compressed body, and a band of red running
lengthwise.
{Serpent star} (Zool.), an ophiuran; a brittle star.
{Serpent's tongue} (Paleon.), the fossil tooth of a shark; --
so called from its resemblance to a tongue with its root.
{Serpent withe} (Bot.), a West Indian climbing plant
({Aristolochia odoratissima}).
{Tree serpent} (Zool.), any species of African serpents
belonging to the family {Dendrophidae}.
[1913 Webster]
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Tree \Tree\ (tr[=e]), n. [OE. tree, tre, treo, AS. tre['o],
tre['o]w, tree, wood; akin to OFries. tr[=e], OS. treo, trio,
Icel. tr[=e], Dan. trae, Sw. tr[aum], tr[aum]d, Goth. triu,
Russ. drevo, W. derw an oak, Ir. darag, darog, Gr. dry^s a
tree, oak, do`ry a beam, spear shaft, spear, Skr. dru tree,
wood, d[=a]ru wood. [root]63, 241. Cf. {Dryad}, {Germander},
{Tar}, n., {Trough}.]
[1913 Webster]
1. (Bot.) Any perennial woody plant of considerable size
(usually over twenty feet high) and growing with a single
trunk.
[1913 Webster]
Note: The kind of tree referred to, in any particular case,
is often indicated by a modifying word; as forest tree,
fruit tree, palm tree, apple tree, pear tree, etc.
[1913 Webster]
2. Something constructed in the form of, or considered as
resembling, a tree, consisting of a stem, or stock, and
branches; as, a genealogical tree.
[1913 Webster]
3. A piece of timber, or something commonly made of timber;
-- used in composition, as in axletree, boottree,
chesstree, crosstree, whiffletree, and the like.
[1913 Webster]
4. A cross or gallows; as Tyburn tree.
[1913 Webster]
[Jesus] whom they slew and hanged on a tree. --Acts
x. 39.
[1913 Webster]
5. Wood; timber. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
[1913 Webster]
In a great house ben not only vessels of gold and of
silver but also of tree and of earth. --Wyclif (2
Tim. ii. 20).
[1913 Webster]
6. (Chem.) A mass of crystals, aggregated in arborescent
forms, obtained by precipitation of a metal from solution.
See {Lead tree}, under {Lead}.
[1913 Webster]
{Tree bear} (Zool.), the raccoon. [Local, U. S.]
{Tree beetle} (Zool.) any one of numerous species of beetles
which feed on the leaves of trees and shrubs, as the May
beetles, the rose beetle, the rose chafer, and the
goldsmith beetle.
{Tree bug} (Zool.), any one of numerous species of
hemipterous insects which live upon, and suck the sap of,
trees and shrubs. They belong to {Arma}, {Pentatoma},
{Rhaphigaster}, and allied genera.
{Tree cat} (Zool.), the common paradoxure ({Paradoxurus
musang}).
{Tree clover} (Bot.), a tall kind of melilot ({Melilotus
alba}). See {Melilot}.
{Tree crab} (Zool.), the purse crab. See under {Purse}.
{Tree creeper} (Zool.), any one of numerous species of
arboreal creepers belonging to {Certhia}, {Climacteris},
and allied genera. See {Creeper}, 3.
{Tree cricket} (Zool.), a nearly white arboreal American
cricket ({Ecanthus niv[oe]us}) which is noted for its loud
stridulation; -- called also {white cricket}.
{Tree crow} (Zool.), any one of several species of Old World
crows belonging to {Crypsirhina} and allied genera,
intermediate between the true crows and the jays. The tail
is long, and the bill is curved and without a tooth.
{Tree dove} (Zool.) any one of several species of East Indian
and Asiatic doves belonging to {Macropygia} and allied
genera. They have long and broad tails, are chiefly
arboreal in their habits, and feed mainly on fruit.
{Tree duck} (Zool.), any one of several species of ducks
belonging to {Dendrocygna} and allied genera. These ducks
have a long and slender neck and a long hind toe. They are
arboreal in their habits, and are found in the tropical
parts of America, Africa, Asia, and Australia.
{Tree fern} (Bot.), an arborescent fern having a straight
trunk, sometimes twenty or twenty-five feet high, or even
higher, and bearing a cluster of fronds at the top. Most
of the existing species are tropical.
{Tree fish} (Zool.), a California market fish ({Sebastichthys
serriceps}).
{Tree frog}. (Zool.)
(a) Same as {Tree toad}.
(b) Any one of numerous species of Old World frogs
belonging to {Chiromantis}, {Rhacophorus}, and allied
genera of the family {Ranidae}. Their toes are
furnished with suckers for adhesion. The flying frog
(see under {Flying}) is an example.
{Tree goose} (Zool.), the bernicle goose.
{Tree hopper} (Zool.), any one of numerous species of small
leaping hemipterous insects which live chiefly on the
branches and twigs of trees, and injure them by sucking
the sap. Many of them are very odd in shape, the prothorax
being often prolonged upward or forward in the form of a
spine or crest.
{Tree jobber} (Zool.), a woodpecker. [Obs.]
{Tree kangaroo}. (Zool.) See {Kangaroo}.
{Tree lark} (Zool.), the tree pipit. [Prov. Eng.]
{Tree lizard} (Zool.), any one of a group of Old World
arboreal lizards (formerly grouped as the {Dendrosauria})
comprising the chameleons; also applied to various lizards
belonging to the families {Agamidae} or {Iguanidae},
especially those of the genus {Urosaurus}, such as the
{lined tree lizard} ({Urosaurus ornatus}) of the
southwestern U.S.
{Tree lobster}. (Zool.) Same as {Tree crab}, above.
{Tree louse} (Zool.), any aphid; a plant louse.
{Tree moss}. (Bot.)
(a) Any moss or lichen growing on trees.
(b) Any species of moss in the form of a miniature tree.
{Tree mouse} (Zool.), any one of several species of African
mice of the subfamily {Dendromyinae}. They have long claws
and habitually live in trees.
{Tree nymph}, a wood nymph. See {Dryad}.
{Tree of a saddle}, a saddle frame.
{Tree of heaven} (Bot.), an ornamental tree ({Ailantus
glandulosus}) having long, handsome pinnate leaves, and
greenish flowers of a disagreeable odor.
{Tree of life} (Bot.), a tree of the genus Thuja; arbor
vitae.
{Tree onion} (Bot.), a species of garlic ({Allium
proliferum}) which produces bulbs in place of flowers, or
among its flowers.
{Tree oyster} (Zool.), a small American oyster ({Ostrea
folium}) which adheres to the roots of the mangrove tree;
-- called also {raccoon oyster}.
{Tree pie} (Zool.), any species of Asiatic birds of the genus
{Dendrocitta}. The tree pies are allied to the magpie.
{Tree pigeon} (Zool.), any one of numerous species of
longwinged arboreal pigeons native of Asia, Africa, and
Australia, and belonging to {Megaloprepia}, {Carpophaga},
and allied genera.
{Tree pipit}. (Zool.) See under {Pipit}.
{Tree porcupine} (Zool.), any one of several species of
Central and South American arboreal porcupines belonging
to the genera {Chaetomys} and {Sphingurus}. They have an
elongated and somewhat prehensile tail, only four toes on
the hind feet, and a body covered with short spines mixed
with bristles. One South American species ({Sphingurus
villosus}) is called also {couiy}; another ({Sphingurus
prehensilis}) is called also {c[oe]ndou}.
{Tree rat} (Zool.), any one of several species of large
ratlike West Indian rodents belonging to the genera
{Capromys} and {Plagiodon}. They are allied to the
porcupines.
{Tree serpent} (Zool.), a tree snake.
{Tree shrike} (Zool.), a bush shrike.
{Tree snake} (Zool.), any one of numerous species of snakes
of the genus {Dendrophis}. They live chiefly among the
branches of trees, and are not venomous.
{Tree sorrel} (Bot.), a kind of sorrel ({Rumex Lunaria})
which attains the stature of a small tree, and bears
greenish flowers. It is found in the Canary Islands and
Tenerife.
{Tree sparrow} (Zool.) any one of several species of small
arboreal sparrows, especially the American tree sparrow
({Spizella monticola}), and the common European species
({Passer montanus}).
{Tree swallow} (Zool.), any one of several species of
swallows of the genus {Hylochelidon} which lay their eggs
in holes in dead trees. They inhabit Australia and
adjacent regions. Called also {martin} in Australia.
{Tree swift} (Zool.), any one of several species of swifts of
the genus {Dendrochelidon} which inhabit the East Indies
and Southern Asia.
{Tree tiger} (Zool.), a leopard.
{Tree toad} (Zool.), any one of numerous species of
amphibians belonging to {Hyla} and allied genera of the
family {Hylidae}. They are related to the common frogs and
toads, but have the tips of the toes expanded into suckers
by means of which they cling to the bark and leaves of
trees. Only one species ({Hyla arborea}) is found in
Europe, but numerous species occur in America and
Australia. The common tree toad of the Northern United
States ({Hyla versicolor}) is noted for the facility with
which it changes its colors. Called also {tree frog}. See
also {Piping frog}, under {Piping}, and {Cricket frog},
under {Cricket}.
{Tree warbler} (Zool.), any one of several species of
arboreal warblers belonging to {Phylloscopus} and allied
genera.
{Tree wool} (Bot.), a fine fiber obtained from the leaves of
pine trees.
[1913 Webster]