asp

asp
asp1
—aspish, adj.
/asp/, n.
1. any of several venomous snakes, esp. the Egyptian cobra or the horned viper.
2. Archaeol. uraeus.
[1300-50; back formation from ME aspis (taken as pl.) < L < Gk aspís orig., shield]
asp2
/asp/, n., adj.
aspen.
[bef. 900; ME aspe, apse, OE aesp(e), aeps(e); c. MLG aspe, OHG aspa (G Espe, with altered vowel < OHG adj. espîn), ON osp; akin to Latvian apse, Russ osína, Czech osika < North European IE *aps-. See ASPEN]

* * *

Anglicized form of aspis, the name used in classical antiquity for a venomous snake, probably the Egyptian cobra (Naja haje).

The asp was the symbol of royalty in Egypt, and its bite was used for the execution of criminals in Greco-Roman times. Cleopatra is said to have killed herself with an asp.

* * *

▪ snake
      anglicized form of aspis, name used in classical antiquity for a venomous snake, probably the Egyptian cobra, Naja haje. It was the symbol of royalty in Egypt, and its bite was used for the execution of favoured criminals in Greco-Roman times. Cleopatra is said to have killed herself with an asp (see also viper).

      European aspic vipers (Vipera aspis) of France, Switzerland, Spain, and Italy are often referred to as asps. Adult aspic vipers may reach 50 cm (20 inches) in total length, although most are smaller. They live in a variety of habitats ranging from sea level to high-altitude environments near 2,600 metres (8,500 feet) in the Swiss Alps (Alps). These animals prey on small vertebrates and give birth to a litter of 5–16 young.

George R. Zug
 

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • .asp — ASP.NET ASP.NET est un ensemble de technologies de programmation web créé par Microsoft. Les programmeurs peuvent utiliser ASP.NET pour créer des sites webs dynamiques, des applications web ou des web services XML. La technologie est accessible… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Asp — is usually a kind of venomous snake, but it may refer to:nakes* Asp (reptile), an archaic term for a venomous snake. * Vipera aspis , a venomous viper found in Europe. * Cerastes cerastes , a venomous viper found in the Sahara desert. * Cerastes… …   Wikipedia

  • ASP — is a three letter acronym with numerous meanings in different contexts.Electronics* Analog signal processing, processing electronic signals that represent continuous variables by use of analog circuitry * Anti Shock Protection, a protection of an …   Wikipedia

  • Asp — 〈Zeichen für〉 Asparagin(säure) * * * Asp: Symbol für ↑ Asparaginsäure in Peptidformeln. * * * I ASP   [Abk. für Application Service Providing, dt. »Bereitstellungsdienst für Anwendungsprogramme«] ( …   Universal-Lexikon

  • ASP — steht für: Asp, Ortsteil der Gemeinde Densbüren im Schweizer Kanton Aargau Asp (Rakete) einen amerikanischen Raketentyp ASP (Band), eine deutsche Band Aspe (Spanien), katalanischer Name der Stadt Asp (Dänemark), eine Ortschaft in der Struer… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Asp — bezeichnet: den katalanische Namen einer Stadt in der Provinz Alicante in Spanien, siehe Aspe (Spanien) einen Ortsteil der Gemeinde Densbüren im Schweizer Kanton Aargau, siehe Densbüren einen amerikanischen Raketentyp, siehe Asp (Rakete) eine… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Asp — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Le terme Asp peut désigner : Acide aspartique, un acide aminé, en chimie et biochimie, Asp, une super vilaine dans l univers de Marvel Comics, Voir… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Asp — Asp, n. (Bot.) Same as {Aspen}. Trembling poplar or asp. Martyn. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • asp — asp·ish; asp; asp·ish·ly; …   English syllables

  • asp — asp1 [asp] n. [ME < OFr aspe < L aspis < Gr; prob. < aspis, shield (in reference to the shape of the hood)] any of several small, poisonous snakes of Africa, Arabia, and Europe, as the horned viper, Egyptian cobra, or a European viper …   English World dictionary

  • Asp — ([.a]sp), n. [L. aspis, fr. Gr. aspi s: cf. OF. aspe, F. aspic.] (Zo[ o]l.) A small, hooded, poisonous serpent of Egypt and adjacent countries, whose bite is often fatal. It is the {Naja haje}. The name is also applied to other poisonous serpents …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”