viperishadj.
/ˈvʌɪp(ə)rɪʃ/, U.S. /ˈvaɪpərɪʃ/ 1. figurative. Venomous, viperous, spiteful.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > harmfulness > spitefulness > [adjective]
teenfulOE
atteryc1175
ondfula1200
maliciousa1250
doggedc1300
enviousc1330
venoma1350
spitous?a1366
despitousc1374
heinous?a1400
venomyc1400
sinister1411
sputousc1420
doggish?a1425
cankered?a1439
doggya1450
sinistrous1460
spity1481
despiteful1488
spiteful1490
despiteous?1510
viperious?1510
peevisha1522
maliceful1522
envyful1530
viperinec1540
viperous?1542
vipered1560
uncanny1596
dogged-sprighted1600
maliced1602
ill-minded1611
virulent1613
ill-hearteda1617
doleful1617
spitish1627
splenial1641
litherlya1643
venomsome1660
slim1674
viper1721
vipereal1750
viperish1755
vicious1825
waspish1855
viperian1866
viperan1877
cattish1883
catty1886
bitchy1928
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > unkindness > spite, malice > [adjective]
loathOE
teenfulOE
nithefulOE
ondfula1200
maliciousa1250
doggedc1300
enviousc1330
venomousa1340
venoma1350
spitous?a1366
despitousc1374
heinous?a1400
unkindlya1400
venomyc1400
sinister1411
sputousc1420
doggish?a1425
cankered?a1439
doggya1450
sinistrous1460
spity1481
despiteful1488
spiteful1490
despiteous?1510
viperious?1510
peevisha1522
envyful1530
viperous1535
viperinec1540
vipered1560
bad-minded1588
uncanny1596
dogged-sprighted1600
toothsome1601
maliced1602
ill-minded1611
virulent1613
ill-hearteda1617
doleful1617
spitish1627
ill-meaning1633
splenial1641
litherlya1643
venomsome1660
slim1668
cat-witted1672
vipereal1750
viperish1755
méchant1813
vicious1825
maliceful1840
mean1841
waspish1855
viperian1866
viperan1877
cattish1883
catty1886
bad mind1904
bitchy1908
1755 T. Smollett tr. M. de Cervantes Don Quixote I. iv. iii. 221 Tell me, you viperish scoffer, what you think hath won this kingdom..?
1860 W. Collins Woman in White iii. narr. W. Hartwright vii She cast one viperish look at me as I entered the hall.
1880 M. E. Braddon Just as I Am xlv He listened to her viperish speech.
1889 Spectator 14 Dec. 839 All sorts of characters, from the most malignant and viperish to the noblest and most self-forgetful.
2. Somewhat resembling a viper; viper-like.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > reptiles > order Squamata (lizards and snakes) > suborder Ophidia (snakes) > types of snake > [adjective] > of or relating to family Viperidae > resembling a viper
viperinec1540
viperish1863
viperiformc1882
viper-like1888
1863 M. E. Braddon Aurora Floyd xv It seemed as if her footfall had startled some viperish creature.
1873 J. A. Symonds Stud. Greek Poets vii. 218 [Medea's] viperish loose hair and throbbing skin.
Derivatives
ˈviperishly adv. with the rapid and sinuous motion of a viper.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in specific manner > writhing or twisting movement > [adverb] > with sinuous motion
crinkum-crankum1656
sinuously1847
viperishly1870
1870 Temple Bar 29 180 Men..with lissom wrists that can make a foil curl viperishly round an antagonist's blade.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1917; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adj.1755