| adder | 1. A serpent. "The eddre seide to the woman." 2. <zoology> A small venomous serpent of the genus Vipera. The common European adder is the Vipera (or Pelias) berus. The puff adders of Africa are species of Clotho. In America, the term is commonly applied to several harmless snakes, as the milk adder, puffing adder, etc. Same as Sea Adder. In the sculptures the appellation is given to several venomous serpents, sometimes to the horned viper (Cerastles). Origin: OE. Addere, naddere, eddre, AS. Naedre, adder, snake; akin to OS. Nadra, OHG. Natra, natara, Ger. Natter, Goth. Nadrs, Icel. Naor, masc, naora, fem., cf. W. Neidr, Gorn. Naddyr, Ir. Nathair, L. Natrix, water snake. An adder is for a nadder. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| adder's-tongue | <botany> A genus of ferns (Ophioglossum), whose seeds are produced on a spike resembling a serpent's tongue. The yellow dogtooth violet. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| water adder | <zoology> The water moccasin. The common, harmless American water snake (Tropidonotus sipedon). Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| sea adder | <zoology> The European fifteen-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus spinachia); called also bismore. The European tanglefish, or pipefish (Syngnathus acus). Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| puff | 1. To blow in puffs, or with short and sudden whiffs. 2. To blow, as an expression of scorn; with at. "It is really to defy Heaven to puff at damnation." (South) 3. To breathe quick and hard, or with puffs, as after violent exertion. "The ass comes back again, puffing and blowing, from the chase." (L' Estrange) 4. To swell with air; to be dilated or inflated. 5. To breathe in a swelling, inflated, or pompous manner; hence, to assume importance. "Then came brave Glory puffing by." (Herbert) Origin: Akin to G. Puffen to pop, buffet, puff, D. Poffen to pop, puffen to blow, Sw. Puffa to push, to cuff, Dan. Puffe to pop, thump. See: Puff. 1. A sudden and single emission of breath from the mouth; hence, any sudden or short blast of wind; a slight gust; a whiff. " To every puff of wind a slave." 2. Anything light and filled with air. Specifically: A puffball. Kind of light pastry. A utensil of the toilet for dusting the skin or hair with powder. 3. An exaggerated or empty expression of praise, especially one in a public journal. Puff adder. <medicine> Any bird of the genus Bucco, or family Bucconidae. They are small birds, usually with dull-coloured and loose plumage, and have twelve tail feathers. See: Barbet . Origin: Akin to G. & Sw. Puff a blow, Dan. Puf, D. Pof; of imitative origin. Cf. Buffet. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| puff-leg | <ornithology> Any one of numerous species of beautiful humming birds of the genus Eriocnemis having large tufts of downy feathers on the legs. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| puff-legged | <zoology> Having a conspicuous tuft of feathers on the legs. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| DNA puff | <molecular biology> An area on a chromosome where transcription of DNA into mRNA, or replication of DNA is occurring, resulting in an enlarged, puffy appearance of the area. Similar to chromosome puff, except generalised to any type of chromosome in any type of organism. (09 Oct 1997) |