blindworm

blindworm
/bluynd"werrm'/, n.
1. a limbless European lizard, Anguis fragilis, related to the glass lizards.
2. a caecilian, Ichthyophis glutinosus, of Sri Lanka, that coils around its eggs.
[1425-75; late ME; see BLIND, WORM; so called because the eyes are very small]

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▪ lizard
also called  Slowworm 
      (Anguis fragilis), a legless lizard of the family Anguidae. It lives in grassy areas and open woodlands in Great Britain and throughout Europe eastward to the Caucasus Mountains. The adult is about 30 centimetres (1 foot) long, but some specimens grow to 50 cm. They are usually brown, chestnut, gray, bronze, brick red, or coppery. The female's underside is usually black.

      The lizard eats snails and slugs and other soft animals, using pointed, fanglike teeth. Internal pelvic girdles are the only vestiges of legs.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Blindworm — Blind worm , n. (Zo[ o]l.) A small, burrowing, snakelike, limbless lizard ({Anguis fragilis}), with minute eyes, popularly believed to be blind; the slowworm; formerly a name for the adder. [1913 Webster] Newts and blindworms do no wrong. Shak.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • blindworm — [blīndwʉrm΄] n. a legless lizard (Anguis fragilis) of the Old World; slowworm: it has very small eyes and a snakelike body that is usually brownish …   English World dictionary

  • blindworm — noun Date: 15th century slowworm …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • blindworm — noun the slowworm …   Wiktionary

  • blindworm — noun another term for slow worm …   English new terms dictionary

  • blindworm — blind•worm [[t]ˈblaɪndˌwɜrm[/t]] n. ram a limbless European lizard Anguis fragilis[/ex] • Etymology: 1425–75; so called because the eyes are very small …   From formal English to slang

  • blindworm — /ˈblaɪndwɜm/ (say bluyndwerm) noun → slow worm (def. 2) …  

  • blindworm — noun 1. small burrowing legless European lizard with tiny eyes; popularly believed to be blind • Syn: ↑slowworm, ↑Anguis fragilis • Hypernyms: ↑anguid lizard • Member Holonyms: ↑Anguis, ↑genus Anguis …   Useful english dictionary

  • blindworm n. = SLOW-WORM. — blink v. & n. v. 1 intr. shut and open the eyes quickly and usu. involuntarily. 2 intr. (often foll. by at) look with eyes opening and shutting. 3 tr. a (often foll. by back) prevent (tears) by blinking. b (often foll. by away, from) clear (dust… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Anguis fragilis — Blindworm Blind worm , n. (Zo[ o]l.) A small, burrowing, snakelike, limbless lizard ({Anguis fragilis}), with minute eyes, popularly believed to be blind; the slowworm; formerly a name for the adder. [1913 Webster] Newts and blindworms do no… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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