puff-adder, noun

Origin:
South African Dutch, DutchShow more Translation of South African Dutch pof-adder, from Dutch poffen to puff + adder adder, viper; so named because when disturbed it inflates its body, making a blowing sound.
The poisonous snake Bitis arietans arietans of the Viperidae, with flat, spade-shaped head and rough, chevron-patterned skin in various combinations of pale grey, brown, and black; pofadder sense 1. Also attributive, and (rarely) with defining words denoting a particular type of puff-adder, spotted dwarf puff-adder.
1789 W. Paterson Narr. of Four Journeys 164The Puff-adder..has its name from blowing itself up to near a foot in circumference.
1804 R. Percival Acct of Cape of G.H. 170The puff-adder is often met with: it is so called from its swelling itself out to a great size when enraged..it is nearly as thick at the tail as at the head.
1817 G. Barker Journal. 14 Sept.This morning a puff adder was killed [by] dear brother U’s garden gate..; these are counted the most dangerous of all the serpents in Africa.
1822 W.J. Burchell Trav. I. 469It is well known in the colony..by the name of the Pof-Adder (Puff Adder). Its venom is said to be most fatal, taking effect so rapidly as to leave the person who has the misfortune to be bitten, no chance of saving his life, but by instantly cutting out the flesh surrounding the wound.
[1834 W.H.B. Webster Narr. of Voy. to Sn Atlantic Ocean 304The puff, one of the viper tribe, is extremely dangerous; its bite killing a person in half an hour.]
1851 T. Shone Diary. 10 Oct.The bitch Mow was this day bitten by a large Puffadder.
1871 C. Kingsley At Last: Christmas in W. Indies p.iiBut who will call the Puff Adder of the Cape..anything but ugly and horrible?
1890 A. Martin Home Life 255Of all the Cape snakes the puff-adder is not only the deadliest, but by far the most to be feared. For, being of the same colour as the ground, it is extremely difficult to see: it is lazy, too, and will not take the trouble to get out of your way as every other snake does.
1901 E. Hobhouse Report of Visit to Camps 3While we sat there a snake came in. They said it was a puff adder, very poisonous, so they all ran out, and I attacked the creature with my parasol.
1915 W. Eveleigh S.W. Afr. 82The puff-adder Bitis arietans..is highly venomous and exceedingly dangerous, as it coils up and lies quite still in the open until touched or roused.
1931 F.C. Slater Secret Veld 79An ominous hiss at his feet revealed..the puff-adder that lay across his path.
1947 L.G. Green Tavern of Seas 121Puffadders bring forth their young alive; and even a tiny puffadder can inflict a terrifying bite.
1963 S. Cloete Rags of Glory 483As full of hate and anger as a puff adder is full of poison.
1972 A. Scholefield Wild Dog Running 146The fangs of a puff adder are the longest and most vicious of any snake in Southern Africa.
1987 T.F.J. Van Rensburg Intro. to Fynbos 49The following species are listed as endangered species..Spotted dwarf puff-adder (Hondeklip Bay).
1988 M. Branch Explore Cape Flora 37Puff adder venom causes swelling and bruising...Even if a bite is not lethal, it may take months to recover from it.
1994 M. Roberts tr. of J.A. Wahlberg’s Trav. Jrnls 1838–56 11A large puff-adder was shot by K. Dreyer from his horse.
The poisonous snake Bitis arietans arietans of the Viperidae, with flat, spade-shaped head and rough, chevron-patterned skin in various combinations of pale grey, brown, and black; pofadder sense 1. Also attributive, and (rarely) with defining words denoting a particular type of puff-adder, spotted dwarf puff-adder.
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Dutch
puddysticks, puttysticks, adjectiveadj.pula, interjectionint. & nounn.
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