adder: [OE] In Old English, the term for a snake (any snake, not just an adder) was n?ddre; there are or were related forms in many other European languages, such as Latin natrix, Welsh neidr, and German natter (but there does not seem to be any connection with the natterjack toad). Around the 14th century, however, the word began to lose its initial consonant. The noun phrase including the indefinite article, a nadder, became misanalysed as an adder, and by the 17th century nadder had disappeared from the mainstream language (though it survived much longer in northern dialects).
adder (n.)
Old English n?ddre "a snake, serpent, viper," from Proto-Germanic *n?dro "a snake" (cognates: Old Norse naera, Middle Dutch nadre, Old High German natra, German Natter, Gothic nadrs), from PIE root *netr- (cognates: Latin natrix "water snake," probably by folk-association with nare "to swim;" Old Irish nathir, Welsh neidr "adder").
The modern form represents a faulty separation 14c.-16c. into an adder, for which see also apron, auger, nickname, humble pie, umpire. Nedder is still a northern English dialect form. Folklore connection with deafness is via Psalm lviii:1-5. The adder is said to stop up its ears to avoid hearing the snake charmer called in to drive it away. Adderbolt (late 15c.) was a former name for "dragonfly."
雙語例句
1. He is as deaf as a post [ stone , door - post , door - nail , an adder ].
他完全聾 了.
來自《現代漢英綜合大詞典》
2. The adder is Britain's only venomous snake.
蝰蛇是英國唯一的一種毒蛇。
來自辭典例句
3. By far the most common snake in Britain is the adder.
在英國最常見的蛇是蝰蛇.
來自中級百科部分
4. The adder is also the only British snake with a poisonous bite.
蝰蛇在英國也是唯一一種有毒的蛇.
來自中級百科部分
5. Why, thou art as foul as the toal, and as loathsome as the adder.