weever

weever
/wee"veuhr/, n.
1. either of two small, European, marine fishes of the genus Trachinus, T. draco (greater weever) or T. vipera (lesser weever), having highly poisonous dorsal spines.
2. any fish of the same family, Trachinidae.
[1615-25; perh. continuing ME *wever, OE wifer arrow (c. ON vifr sword); modern meaning by assoc. with obs. wiver viper; see WYVERN]

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▪ fish
      any of four species of small marine fishes of the family Trachinidae (order Perciformes). Weevers are long-bodied fishes that habitually bury themselves in the sand. They have large, upwardly slanted mouths and eyes near the top of the head. There is a sharp spine on each gill cover; these spines, like those of the first dorsal fin, are associated with venom glands and can produce very painful wounds.

      Three species of weevers are found in the Old World, and one in the New World, along the Chilean coast. Well-known species include the greater and lesser weevers (Trachinus draco and T. vipera), of both Europe and the Mediterranean.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Weever — Wee ver, n. [Probably from F. vive, OF. vivre, a kind of fish, L. vipera viper. Cf. {Viper}.] (Zo[ o]l.) Any one of several species of edible marine fishes belonging to the genus {Trachinus}, of the family {Trachinid[ae]}. They have a broad… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • weever — [wē′vər] n. [NormFr wivre (OFr guivre), orig., serpent, dragon < L vipera, VIPER] any of a family (Trachinidae) of edible, marine percoid fishes with sharp, very poisonous spines on the gill cover and the first dorsal fin …   English World dictionary

  • Weever — Taxobox name = Weevers image width = 240px image caption = Lesser weever, Echiichthys vipera regnum = Animalia phylum = Chordata classis = Actinopterygii ordo = Perciformes familia = Trachinidae subdivision ranks = Genera subdivision = Trachinus… …   Wikipedia

  • weever — /ˈwivə/ (say weevuh) noun (plural weever or weevers) 1. either of two small marine fishes of the genus Trachinus, T. vipera (lesser weever), common in British waters, and the rarer T. draco (greater weever), notable for their poison glands at the …  

  • Weever, John — (1576 1632)    Lancashire poet who left Queens College, Cambridge, without graduating. After touring the Continent, and settling in London, he became an authority on antiquitiesm. In 1631 he published a large volume titled Ancient Funeral… …   British and Irish poets

  • weever fishes — drakoniukinės statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas šeima apibrėžtis Atlanto vandenyno rytinės dalies vidutinės platumos. Viduržemio jūra. 1 gentis, 4 rūšys. Turi nuodingas liaukas. atitikmenys: lot. Trachinidae angl. vives;… …   Žuvų pavadinimų žodynas

  • weever fishes — drakoniukės statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas gentis atitikmenys: lot. Trachinus angl. weever fishes rus. морские дракончики; морские драконы; трахины ryšiai: platesnis terminas – drakoniukinės siauresnis terminas – didžioji… …   Žuvų pavadinimų žodynas

  • weever fish — noun see weever …   Useful english dictionary

  • weever — noun /ˈwiː.və,ˈwi.vɚ/ any of the usually brown fish in Trachinidae, who catch prey by burying themselves in the sand and snatching them as they go past. Syn: weaverfish …   Wiktionary

  • weever — see VIPER …   The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins

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