snake

snake
{{11}}snake (n.) O.E. snaca, from P.Gmc. *snakon (Cf. O.N. snakr "snake," Swed. snok, Ger. Schnake "ring snake"), from PIE root *snag-, *sneg- "to crawl, creeping thing" (Cf. O.Ir. snaighim "to creep," Lith. snake "snail," O.H.G. snahhan "to creep"). In Mod.Eng., gradually replacing SERPENT (Cf. serpent) in popular use. Meaning "treacherous person" first recorded 1590 (Cf. O.C.S. gadu "reptile," gadinu "foul, hateful").
Snake eyes in crap-shooting sense is from 1929. Snake oil is from 1927. Snake-bitten "unlucky" is sports slang from 1957. The game of Snakes and Ladders is attested from 1907. Snake pit is from 1883, as a supposed primitive test of truth or courage; figurative sense is from 1941. Phrase snake in the grass is from Virgil's Latet anguis in herba [Ecl. III.93] Another O.E. word for "snake" was næddre (see ADDER (Cf. adder)).
{{12}}snake (v.) 1650s, "to twist or wind (something) into the form of a snake," from SNAKE (Cf. snake) (n.). The intransitive sense of "to move like a snake" is attested from 1848; that of "to wind or twist like a snake" (of roads, etc.) is from 1875. Related: Snaked; snaking.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Snake — Snake, n. [AS. snaca; akin to LG. snake, schnake, Icel. sn[=a]kr, sn?kr, Dan. snog, Sw. snok; of uncertain origin.] (Zo[ o]l.) Any species of the order Ophidia; an ophidian; a serpent, whether harmless or venomous. See {Ophidia}, and {Serpent}.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • SNAKE — (Heb. נָחָשׁ, naḥash), a generic name for various species of snake, poisonous and harmless. Both in the Bible and generally in rabbinical literature it is mentioned with ignominy as harmful. It already appears at the dawn of history in the Bible… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Snake — (englisch für Schlange) ist der Name eines Videospielklassikers, bei dem man eine Schlange durch ein Spielfeld steuert und Futter (manchmal Apples genannt) aufnehmen soll. Die Schlange wird mit jedem Futterhappen länger. Es können andere… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Snake — puede hacer referencia a: Snake, un grupo de pop/rock de Montevideo. Snake, un personaje de la serie de televisión Los Simpson. Snake, Solid Snake, de los juegos Metal Gear. Snake, videojuego. Esta página …   Wikipedia Español

  • snake — snake; snake·less; snake·let; snake·ling; …   English syllables

  • snake — [snāk] n. [ME < OE snaca, akin to ON snakr, MLowG snake: for IE base see SNAIL] 1. any of a limbless suborder (Serpentes, order Squamata) of reptiles with an elongated, scaly body, lidless eyes, and a tapering tail: some species have a… …   English World dictionary

  • Snake — Snake, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Snaked}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Snaking}.] 1. To drag or draw, as a snake from a hole; often with out. [Colloq. U.S.] Bartlett. [1913 Webster] 2. (Naut.) To wind round spirally, as a large rope with a smaller, or with cord,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Snake — Snake, v. i. To crawl like a snake. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Snake — Snake: Snake  компьютерная игра, возникшая в середине или в конце 1970 х. «Snake»  продюсер, автор песен, барабанщик, бывший участник групп Янг Ганз, НАИВ, Агата Кристи, Блондинка КсЮ, МЭD DОГ и др …   Википедия

  • snake — ► NOUN 1) a predatory reptile with a long slender limbless body, many kinds of which have a venomous bite. 2) (also snake in the grass) a treacherous or deceitful person. ► VERB ▪ move or extend with the twisting motion of a snake. ORIGIN Old… …   English terms dictionary

  • Snake — Snake. См. Змеевик. (Источник: «Металлы и сплавы. Справочник.» Под редакцией Ю.П. Солнцева; НПО Профессионал , НПО Мир и семья ; Санкт Петербург, 2003 г.) …   Словарь металлургических терминов

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