Adjacent Words

puff adder definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: large African viper that inflates its body when alarmed [syn: puff adder, Bitis arietans]
2: harmless North American snake with upturned nose; may spread its head and neck or play dead when disturbed [syn: hognose snake, puff adder, sand viper]

Merriam Webster's

noun Date: 1789 1. a large thick-bodied extremely venomous African viper (Bitis arietans) 2. hognose snake

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Puff Puff (p[u^]f), n. [Akin to G. & Sw. puff a blow, Dan. puf, D. pof; of imitative origin. Cf. Buffet.] 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.'' --Flatman. 2. Anything light and filled with air. Specifically: (a) A puffball. (b) a kind of light pastry. (c) 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. (Zo["o]l.) (a) Any South African viper belonging to Clotho and allied genera. They are exceedingly venomous, and have the power of greatly distending their bodies when irritated. The common puff adder (Vipera, or Clotho arietans) is the largest species, becoming over four feet long. The plumed puff adder (C. cornuta) has a plumelike appendage over each eye. (b) A North American harmless snake (Heterodon platyrrhinos) which has the power of puffing up its body. Called also hog-nose snake, flathead, spreading adder, and blowing adder. Puff bird (Zo["o]l.), any bird of the genus Bucco, or family Bucconid[ae]. They are small birds, usually with dull-colored and loose plumage, and have twelve tail feathers. See Barbet (b) .