Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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}.
Note: Snakes are abundant in all warm countries, and much the
larger number are harmless to man.
{Blind snake}, {Garter snake}, {Green snake}, {King snake},
{Milk snake}, {Rock snake}, {Water snake}, etc. See under
{Blind}, {Garter}, etc.
{Fetich snake} (Zo["o]l.), a large African snake ({Python
Seb[ae]}) used by the natives as a fetich.
{Ringed snake} (Zo["o]l.), a common European columbrine snake
({Tropidonotus natrix}).
{Snake eater}. (Zo["o]l.)
(a) The markhoor.
(b) The secretary bird.
{Snake fence}, a worm fence (which see). [U.S.]
{Snake fly} (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of
neuropterous insects of the genus {Rhaphidia}; -- so
called because of their large head and elongated neck and
prothorax.
{Snake gourd} (Bot.), a cucurbitaceous plant ({Trichosanthes
anguina}) having the fruit shorter and less snakelike than
that of the serpent cucumber.
{Snake killer}. (Zo["o]l.)
(a) The secretary bird.
(b) The chaparral cock.
{Snake moss} (Bot.), the common club moss ({Lycopodium
clavatum}). See {Lycopodium}.
{Snake nut} (Bot.), the fruit of a sapindaceous tree
({Ophiocaryon paradoxum}) of Guiana, the embryo of which
resembles a snake coiled up.
{Tree snake} (Zo["o]l.), any one of numerous species of
colubrine snakes which habitually live in trees,
especially those of the genus {Dendrophis} and allied
genera.
Garter \Gar"ter\, n. [OE. gartier, F. jarreti[`e]re, fr. OF.
garet bend of the knee, F. jarret; akin to Sp. garra claw,
Prov. garra leg. See {Garrote}.]
1. A band used to prevent a stocking from slipping down on
the leg.
2. The distinguishing badge of the highest order of
knighthood in Great Britain, called the Order of the
Garter, instituted by Edward III.; also, the Order itself.
3. (Her.) Same as {Bendlet}.
{Garter fish} (Zo["o]l.), a fish of the genus {Lepidopus},
having a long, flat body, like the blade of a sword; the
scabbard fish.
{Garter king-at-arms}, the chief of the official heralds of
England, king-at-arms to the Order of the Garter; -- often
abbreviated to {Garter}.
{Garter snake} (Zo["o]l.), one of several harmless American
snakes of the genus {Eut[ae]nia}, of several species (esp.
{E. saurita} and {E. sirtalis}); one of the striped
snakes; -- so called from its conspicuous stripes of
color.
Source : WordNet®
garter snake
n : any of numerous nonvenomous longitudinally-striped
viviparous North American and Central American snakes
[syn: {grass snake}]