serpent
part of speech
noun (a serpent, serpents)
meaning for a pupil
1) (literary, old) A snake, especially a big one. tree →
2) In myths and stories, a huge snake-like monster such as a sea serpent. tree →
3) (old, figurative) A sly, tricky person who cannot be trusted. tree →
sense in the lessons
In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: In the Prophets and Writings the serpent is a biting, poisonous snake. Its bite is a picture for the sting of wine, and sharp tongues and lying speech are said to be "like a serpent." Job also names a "slant serpent" pierced by God's hand, a sea creature that shows His power over creation. Interpretation: Tradition often takes the serpent as a sign of the urge to do wrong, and the rabbis say it was punished for its speech, which led Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. Later readers took the serpent images in Psalms and Proverbs as warnings about evil speech and drunkenness. In the primary lessons: In stories, myths and the Bible, serpents are often clever or dangerous; dragons and sea serpents appear in legends. In science lessons we say «snake». In maths stories, a serpent's length may be measured or compared. Phrases: «sea serpent», «a serpent's tongue».
examples
- And the serpent said unto the woman: 'Ye shall not surely die; (Torah GEN.3.4, JPS 1917) tree →
- Their wine is the venom of serpents, and the cruel poison of asps. (Torah DEU.32.33, JPS 1917) tree →
- Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. (Torah GEN.3.1, JPS 1917) tree →
- At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like a basilisk. (Writings PRO.23.32, JPS 1917) tree →
- By His breath the heavens are serene; His hand hath pierced the slant serpent. (Writings JOB.26.13, JPS 1917) tree →
- They have sharpened their tongue like a serpent; vipers' venom is under their lips. (Writings PSA.140.4, JPS 1917) tree →
- The knight fought a giant serpent. tree →
- Sailors told tales of sea serpents. tree →
- The serpent hissed and slid under a rock. tree →
- In the story, a cunning serpent tricks the hero. tree →
- The serpent was 9 metres long, three times as long as the boat. tree →
- The river curved like a serpent through the valley. tree →
- But look! the serpent himself is coming!" tree →
note
Countable: serpents. Literary; everyday word: snake. Adjective: serpentine (winding like a snake). Sea serpents are legends, not real animals.
In the corpora
- Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.
- And the woman said unto the serpent: 'Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat;
- And the serpent said unto the woman: 'Ye shall not surely die;
- For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents; but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.
- And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «serpent» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.