The Collaborative International Dictionary
Bugloss \Bu"gloss\, n.; pl. Buglosses. [F. buglosse, L. buglossa, buglossus, fr. Gr. ? oxtongue ? ox + ? tongue.] (Bot.) A plant of the genus Anchusa, and especially the Anchusa officinalis, sometimes called alkanet; oxtongue.
Small wild bugloss, the Asperugo procumbens and the Lycopsis arvensis.
Viper's bugloss, a species of Echium.
viper \vi"per\ (v[imac]"p[~e]r), n. [F. vip[`e]re, L. vipera, probably contr. fr. vivipera; vivus alive + parere to bring forth, because it was believed to be the only serpent that brings forth living young. Cf. Quick, a., Parent, Viviparous, Wivern, Weever.]
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(Zo["o]l.) Any one of numerous species of Old World venomous snakes belonging to Vipera, Clotho, Daboia, and other genera of the family Viperid[ae].
There came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.
--Acts xxviii. 3.Note: Among the best-known species are the European adder ( Pelias berus), the European asp ( Vipera aspis), the African horned viper ( Vipera cerastes), and the Indian viper ( Daboia Russellii).
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A dangerous, treacherous, or malignant person.
Who committed To such a viper his most sacred trust Of secrecy.
--Milton. -
Loosely, any venomous or presumed venomous snake.
Horned viper. (Zo["o]l.) See Cerastes.
Red viper (Zo["o]l.), the copperhead.
Viper fish (Zo["o]l.), a small, slender, phosphorescent deep-sea fish ( Chauliodus Sloanii). It has long ventral and dorsal fins, a large mouth, and very long, sharp teeth.
Viper's bugloss (Bot.), a rough-leaved biennial herb ( Echium vulgare) having showy purplish blue flowers. It is sometimes cultivated, but has become a pestilent weed in fields from New York to Virginia. Also called blue weed.
Viper's grass (Bot.), a perennial composite herb ( Scorzonera Hispanica) with narrow, entire leaves, and solitary heads of yellow flowers. The long, white, carrot-shaped roots are used for food in Spain and some other countries. Called also viper grass.
WordNet
n. a coarse prickly European weed with spikes of blue flowers; naturalized in United States [syn: blueweed, blue devil, blue thistle, Echium vulgare]
Usage examples of "viper's bugloss".
Borage was sometimes called Bugloss by the old herbalists, a name that properly belongs to Anchusa officinalis, the Alkanet, the Small Bugloss being Lycopsis arvensis, and Viper's Bugloss being the popular name for Echium vulgare.