• n. 蛇（尤指大蛇或毒蛇）；狡猾的人

來自古法語 serpent,蛇，來自拉丁語 serpens,蛇，爬行生物，來自 serpere,爬行，來自 PIE*serp, 爬行，詞源同 herpetology,herpes.

serpent

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).

1. He felt as if a serpent had spat venom into his eyes.

他感覺就像有一條蛇朝自己的雙眼里噴射了毒液。

來自柯林斯例句

2. The serpent fascinated its prey.

這條蛇震懾住了它要捕食的動物.

來自《簡明英漢詞典》

3. There's a serpent beside him.

他身邊有條大蛇.

來自《簡明英漢詞典》

4. Don't believe him, he is a serpent.

別相信他, 他是個狡猾的家伙.

來自《簡明英漢詞典》

5. We have had a grand voyage and seen a sea - serpent.

我們的航行非常棒.我們看到了 海蛇.

來自英漢非文學 - 民俗