ser´pen|tine|ly

ser´pen|tine|ly
ser|pen|tine «adjective, verb. SUR puhn teen, -tyn; noun. SUR puhn teen», adjective, noun, verb, -tined, -tin|ing.
–adj.
1. of or like a serpent.
2. twisting; winding: »

the serpentine course of a creek.

3. Figurative. a) cunning; sly; treacherous: »

a serpentine plot.

b) diabolical; Satanic: »

serpentine cunning.

–n.
1. a greenish mineral with an oily luster, consisting chiefly of magnesium. It is sometimes spotted like a serpent's skin. Serpentine is a soft, waxy substance. Formula: Mg3Si2O5(OH)4
2. Figurative. anything twisted or winding like a snake: »

... entangled in a serpentine of military red tape (Science). The road winds up in serpentines through woods (London Times).

–v.i., v.t.
to wind like a snake: »

the electronic safari that serpentined through French Equatorial Africa (Time).

╂[< Late Latin serpentīnus < Latin serpēns; see etym. under serpent (Cf. ↑serpent)]
–ser´pen|tine|ly, adverb.

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • ser|pen|tine — «adjective, verb. SUR puhn teen, tyn; noun. SUR puhn teen», adjective, noun, verb, tined, tin|ing. –adj. 1. of or like a serpent. 2. twisting; winding: »the serpentine course of a creek …   Useful english dictionary

  • ser·pen·tine — …   Useful english dictionary

  • pen — pen·al·ty; pen·ance; pen·cil; pen·dant; pen·dent; pen·den·tive; pen·du·line; pen·e·trant; pen·i·tent; pen·i·ten·tial; pen·i·ten·tia·ry; pen·man; pen·nat·u·lar·i·an; pen·ner; pen·sion; pen·sion·ary; pen·ste·mon; pen·ta·gon; pen·tam·e·ter;… …   English syllables

  • ser — ac·i·pen·ser; ac·i·pen·ser·es; ac·i·pen·ser·oid; an·ser; an·ser·es; an·ser·i·form; an·ser·i·for·mes; an·ser·ous; as·ser·tion; as·ser·tion·al; as·ser·tive; as·ser·tive·ly; as·ser·tive·ness; as·ser·tor; as·ser·to·ri·al; as·ser·to·ric; as·ser·to·ry; …   English syllables

  • tine — ab·ro·tine; acon·i·tine; ac·tine; ad·a·man·tine; ag·ma·tine; al·a·cre·a·tine; am·e·thys·tine; an·a·tine; ar·re·tine; as·bes·tine; as·ta·tine; at·tine; bar·bo·tine; bar·ken·tine; bar·quen·tine; bar·y·tine; bikh·a·con·i·tine; bi·son·tine;… …   English syllables

  • serpentine — ser·pen·tine …   English syllables

  • serpentinely — ser·pen·tine·ly …   English syllables

  • serpentine — ser|pen|tine [ˈsə:pəntaın US ˈsə:rpənti:n] adj [only before noun] literary 1.) winding like a snake ▪ the serpentine course of the river 2.) complicated and difficult to understand ▪ a serpentine plot …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • serpentine — ser|pen|tine [ sɜrpən,tin, sɜrpən,taın ] adjective LITERARY full of bends and twists: serpentine country lanes …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • serpentine — I ser•pen•tine [[t]ˈsɜr pənˌtin, ˌtaɪn[/t]] adj. 1) of, characteristic of, or resembling a serpent, as in form or movement 2) having a winding course, as a road; sinuous 3) shrewd, wily, or cunning 4) something with a sinuous, snakelike form or… …   From formal English to slang

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