snake

¹snake

noun \ˈsnāk\

Definition of SNAKE

1

: any of numerous limbless scaled reptiles (suborder Serpentes syn. Ophidia) with a long tapering body and with salivary glands often modified to produce venom which is injected through grooved or tubular fangs

2

: a worthless or treacherous fellow

3

: something (as a plumber's snake) resembling a snake

— snake·like \-ˌlīk\ adjective

Examples of SNAKE

1. I thought she was my friend, but she turned out to be a snake in the grass.
2. <snakes are cold-blooded, so they regulate their body temperature by alternately basking in sunlight and seeking shade>

Origin of SNAKE

Middle English, from Old English snaca; akin to Old Norse snakr snake, Old High German snahhan to crawl

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to SNAKE

Synonyms

serpent, viper

Related Words

adder, anaconda, asp, black racer, blacksnake, blue racer, boa, bull snake, bushmaster, chicken snake, cobra, constrictor, copperhead, coral snake, cottonmouth moccasin, diamondback rattlesnake, fer-de-lance, garter snake, gopher snake, green snake, hognose snake, horned viper, indigo snake, king cobra, king snake, krait, mamba, milk snake, moccasin, pine snake, pit viper, puff adder, python, racer, rat snake, rattlesnake, sea serpent, sea snake, sidewinder, taipan, water moccasin, water snake, worm snake

Near Antonyms

hero, heroine, idol, role model; gentleman, lady; angel, saint

Rhymes with SNAKE

ache, bake, brake, break, cake, crake, drake, Drake, fake, flake, hake, jake, lake, make, quake, rake, sake, shake, slake, stake, steak, strake, take, wake

²snake

verb

snakedsnak·ing

Definition of SNAKE

transitive verb

1

: to wind (as one's way) in the manner of a snake

2

: to move (as logs) by dragging

intransitive verb

: to crawl, move, or extend silently, secretly, or sinuously

Examples of SNAKE

1. The road snakes through the mountains.
2. Cables snaked across the floor.
3. Technicians snaked cables through the set.
4. He snaked his way through the crowd.

First Known Use of SNAKE

1653

Related to SNAKE

Synonyms

lurk, mooch, mouse, pussyfoot, shirk, skulk, slide, slink, slip, sneak, steal

Related Words

crawl, creep, edge, inch, worm; ghost, pad, tiptoe

Snake

geographical name \ˈsnāk\

Definition of SNAKE

river 1038 miles (1670 kilometers) NW United States flowing from NW Wyoming across S Idaho & into Columbia River in Washington

snake

noun \ˈsnāk\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of SNAKE

: any of numerous limbless scaled reptiles (suborder Serpentes synonym Ophidia) with a long tapering body and with salivary glands often modified to produce venom which is injected through grooved or tubular fangs

snake

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Internal and external features of a snake.—© Merriam-Webster Inc.

Any member of about 19 reptile families (suborder Serpentes, order Squamata) that has no limbs, voice, external ears, or eyelids, only one functional lung, and a long, slender body. About 2,900 snake species are known to exist, most living in the tropics. Their skin is covered with scales. They have good eyesight, and they continually taste the surrounding air with their tongues. Though they lack any voice, they are capable of hissing. Most live on the ground, but some are arboreal or aquatic, and some are burrowers. They move by muscular contraction, aided by elongated scales on their abdomen. They focus 70% of their mostly solitary existence on tracking, capturing, and digesting their living prey. The construction of their jaws and bodies enables them to swallow large prey whole. Because they are ectotherms (cold-blooded), a single meal can often sustain them for weeks. Mating and laying eggs or bearing live young are brief seasonal activities. About one-tenth of snake species are venomous; some can kill humans with their bite. Others kill their prey by constriction or simply ingesting. Species range from less than 5 in. (12 cm) to over 30 ft (9 m) long. Snakes grow continuously throughout their lives, shedding their outgrown skin at each growth increment. They are found worldwide, but few species are found on islands or in regions with long winters.