viperinen.1
/ˈvʌɪpərʌɪn/, U.S. /ˈvaɪpərən/, /ˈvaɪpəˌraɪn/ rare.
(See quot. 1861.)
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > reptiles > order Squamata (lizards and snakes) > suborder Ophidia (snakes) > types of snake > [noun] > family Viperidae (vipers) > member of > poison
viperine1861
1861 R. T. Hulme tr. C. H. Moquin-Tandon Elements Med. Zool. ii. v. ii. 284 Prince Lucien Bonaparte has shown that the poison of the Viper consists essentially of a principle to which he has given the name Echidnine or Viperine.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1917; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
viperineadj.n.2
/ˈvʌɪpərʌɪn/, /ˈvʌɪpərᵻn/, U.S. /ˈvaɪpərən/, /ˈvaɪpəˌraɪn/ 1. † b. figurative. Of glosses (see viper n. 3a). Obsolete.
a. Resembling a viper or that of a viper; having the nature or character of a viper; venomous, viperous; viper-like. Chiefly in figurative or allusive use (cf. viper n. 3).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > harmfulness > spitefulness > [adjective]
teenfulOE
atteryc1175
ondfula1200
maliciousa1250
doggedc1300
enviousc1330
venoma1350
spitous?a1366
despitousc1374
heinous?a1400
venomyc1400
sinister1411
sputousc1420
doggish?a1425
cankered?a1439
doggya1450
sinistrous1460
spity1481
despiteful1488
spiteful1490
despiteous?1510
viperious?1510
peevisha1522
maliceful1522
envyful1530
viperinec1540
viperous?1542
vipered1560
uncanny1596
dogged-sprighted1600
maliced1602
ill-minded1611
virulent1613
ill-hearteda1617
doleful1617
spitish1627
splenial1641
litherlya1643
venomsome1660
slim1674
viper1721
vipereal1750
viperish1755
vicious1825
waspish1855
viperian1866
viperan1877
cattish1883
catty1886
bitchy1928
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > unkindness > spite, malice > [adjective]
loathOE
teenfulOE
nithefulOE
ondfula1200
maliciousa1250
doggedc1300
enviousc1330
venomousa1340
venoma1350
spitous?a1366
despitousc1374
heinous?a1400
unkindlya1400
venomyc1400
sinister1411
sputousc1420
doggish?a1425
cankered?a1439
doggya1450
sinistrous1460
spity1481
despiteful1488
spiteful1490
despiteous?1510
viperious?1510
peevisha1522
envyful1530
viperous1535
viperinec1540
vipered1560
bad-minded1588
uncanny1596
dogged-sprighted1600
toothsome1601
maliced1602
ill-minded1611
virulent1613
ill-hearteda1617
doleful1617
spitish1627
ill-meaning1633
splenial1641
litherlya1643
venomsome1660
slim1668
cat-witted1672
vipereal1750
viperish1755
méchant1813
vicious1825
maliceful1840
mean1841
waspish1855
viperian1866
viperan1877
cattish1883
catty1886
bad mind1904
bitchy1908
the world > animals > reptiles > order Squamata (lizards and snakes) > suborder Ophidia (snakes) > types of snake > [adjective] > of or relating to family Viperidae > resembling a viper
viperinec1540
viperish1863
viperiformc1882
viper-like1888
c1540 Image Ipocrysy ii, in J. Skelton Poet. Wks. (1843) II. 426 His county pallantyne Haue coustome colubryne, With codes viperyne And sectes serpentyne.
1604 R. Cawdrey Table Alphabet. Viperine, like a viper, or of a viper.
1649 E. Simmons in T. Wodenote Hermes Theologus Pref. sig. A8v If ever the Title of Rex diabolorum was rightly applyable to the King of this land, 'tis since the viperine birth of these miscreants.
1657 J. Sergeant Schism Dispach't 22 Lingua viperea! Viperine tongue!
1697 J. Evelyn Numismata ix. 299 Cæsar Borgia's Viperine Aspect.
1716 M. Davies Athenæ Britannicæ II. 150 Of all the Poetick Salts,..the Satyrical [is] most Viperin and Piercing, the Eclogist and Idilian the most Country-wise and Native.
1873 Routledge's Young Gentleman's Mag. June 401/1 He [a grass-snake] raised himself up in true viperine fashion.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > intelligibility > misinterpretation > distortion or perversion of meaning > [adjective] > tending to pervert
corrupting1509
violent1535
viperine1647
perversive1862
pervertive1901
1647 J. Trapp Comm. Evangelists & Acts (Matt. v. 22) Our Saviour..taking away their viperine glosses that did eat out the bowels of the text.
1648 Commoner's Liberty 18 Had he any other way to weaken what must of necessity be inferred from them, but by such viperine glosses.
c. Of persons.
ΚΠ
1652 J. Gaule Πυς-μαντια 362 Archilocbus, a viperine Satyrist, and not onely so, but a petulant obscure Poet.
1716 M. Davies Athenæ Britannicæ II. To Rdr. 40 Implacable Enemies of the most invenemated Viperin, or rather Draconick kind, who are..continually gnawing and corroding the very Bowels..of the Church of England.
1845 R. Browning Let. in Lett. R. Browning & E. B. Barrett (1899) I. 48 A viperine she-friend of mine who, I think, rather loves me, she does so hate me.
1903 Times 16 Dec. 11/5 The convention of the virtuous heroine and the viperine adventuress.
2. Of or pertaining to a viper; obtained from or natural to vipers.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > reptiles > order Squamata (lizards and snakes) > suborder Ophidia (snakes) > types of snake > [adjective] > of or relating to family Viperidae > of or relating to viper
viperous1535
vipered1560
viperine1608
vipereousc1620
vipereal1750
viperian1866
viperan1877
the world > animals > reptiles > order Squamata (lizards and snakes) > suborder Ophidia (snakes) > types of snake > [adjective] > of or relating to family Viperidae > obtained from vipers
viperine1608
the world > animals > reptiles > order Squamata (lizards and snakes) > suborder Ophidia (snakes) > types of snake > [adjective] > of or relating to family Viperidae > natural to vipers
viperine1608
1608 E. Topsell Hist. Serpents 286 They [sc. tortoises] eate Origan, for that herbe is an antidote against Viperine poyson for them.
1684 tr. T. Bonet Guide Pract. Physician x. 347 Viperine Medicines are good in the Itch and Leprosie.
1702 R. Mead Mech. Acct. Poisons i. 33 The main Efficacy of the Viperine Flesh is to quicken the Circle of the Blood.
1728 E. Chambers Cycl. at Viper The Virus..proves a nimble Vehicle to carry the Viperine Spicula almost every where suddenly.
1852 W. J. Broderip Leaves Note Bk. of Naturalist 233/1 The viperine remedy had classical authority for its ministration.
1904 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 17 Sept. 670 These two being examples of mixed colubrine and viperine poisons.
3. Zoology. Of snakes: Resembling or related to the common viper; now spec. belonging to the suborder Viperina (Solenoglypha).
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > reptiles > order Squamata (lizards and snakes) > suborder Ophidia (snakes) > types of snake > [adjective] > of or relating to family Viperidae
viperine1802
viperid1909
the world > animals > reptiles > order Squamata (lizards and snakes) > suborder Ophidia (snakes) > types of snake > [adjective] > of or relating to family Viperidae > resembling common viper
viperine1802
1802 G. Shaw Gen. Zool. III. ii. 355 Viperine Boa. Boa Viperina.
1870 P. Gillmore tr. L. Figuier Reptiles & Birds ii. 41 His Venomous Colubrine Snakes have certainly a much nearer resemblance in other respects to the Colubridæ than they have to the Viperine Snakes.
1870 P. Gillmore tr. L. Figuier Reptiles & Birds ii. 47 The Viperine Snake (Tropidonotus viperinus)... This is the smallest of all the European Colubridæ.
1887 Günther in Encycl. Brit. XXII. 191/1 The poison of Viperine snakes invariably destroys its coagulability.
4. n. Zoology. A snake belonging to the Viperina.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > reptiles > order Squamata (lizards and snakes) > suborder Ophidia (snakes) > types of snake > [noun] > family Viperidae (vipers) > member of
addereOE
wyverc1374
viper1802
viperine1887
viperid1909
1887 Günther in Encycl. Brit. XXII. 191/1 In the other venomous snakes (Viperines and Crotalines) the maxillary bone is very short.
1887 Günther in Encycl. Brit. XXII. 198/2 The Death Adder..differs from the other Viperines in having the poison-fang permanently erect.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1917; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.11861adj.n.2c1540