serpent: [14] The serpent is etymologically a ‘crawling’ animal. The word comes via Old French serpent from Latin serpēns, a noun use of the present participle of serpere ‘crawl, creep’. This was a close relative of Greek hérpein ‘creep’, from which English gets herpes [17] (etymologically the ‘creeping’ disease) and herpetology ‘study of reptiles’ [19]. => herpes
serpent (n.)
c. 1300, "limbless reptile," also the tempter in Gen. iii:1-5, from Old French serpent, sarpent "snake, serpent" (12c.), from Latin serpentem (nominative serpens) "snake; creeping thing," also the name of a constellation, from present participle of serpere "to creep," from PIE *serp- "to crawl, creep" (cognates: Sanskrit sarpati "creeps," sarpah "serpent;" Greek herpein "to creep," herpeton "serpent;" Albanian garper "serpent").
Used figuratively of things spiral or regularly sinuous, such as a type of musical instrument (1730). Serpent's tongue as figurative of venomous or stinging speech is from mistaken medieval notion that the serpent's tongue was its "sting." Serpent's tongue also was a name given to fossil shark's teeth (c. 1600).
双语例句
1. He felt as if a serpent had spat venom into his eyes.
他感觉就像有一条蛇朝自己的双眼里喷射了毒液。
来自柯林斯例句
2. The serpent fascinated its prey.
这条蛇震慑住了它要捕食的动物.
来自《简明英汉词典》
3. There's a serpent beside him.
他身边有条大蛇.
来自《简明英汉词典》
4. Don't believe him, he is a serpent.
别相信他, 他是个狡猾的家伙.
来自《简明英汉词典》
5. We have had a grand voyage and seen a sea - serpent.
