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salamandermore about salamander

salamander

 

  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Salamander  \Sal"a*man`der\,  n.  [F.  salamandre,  L.  salamandra, 
  Gr  ?;  cf  Per.  samander  samandel.] 
  1.  (Zo["o]l.)  Any  one  of  numerous  species  of  Urodela, 
  belonging  to  {Salamandra},  {Amblystoma},  {Plethodon},  and 
  various  allied  genera,  especially  those  that  are  more  or 
  less  terrestrial  in  their  habits. 
 
  Note:  The  salamanders  have  like  lizards,  an  elongated  body, 
  four  feet,  and  a  long  tail,  but  are  destitute  of 
  scales.  They  are  true  Amphibia,  related  to  the  frogs. 
  Formerly,  it  was  a  superstition  that  the  salamander 
  could  live  in  fire  without  harm,  and  even  extinguish  it 
  by  the  natural  coldness  of  its  body. 
 
  I  have  maintained  that  salamander  of  yours  with 
  fire  any  time  this  two  and  thirty  years.  --Shak. 
 
  Whereas  it  is  commonly  said  that  a  salamander 
  extinguisheth  fire,  we  have  found  by  experience 
  that  on  hot  coals,  it  dieth  immediately.  --Sir  T. 
  Browne. 
 
  2.  (Zo["o]l.)  The  pouched  gopher  ({Geomys  tuza})  of  the 
  Southern  United  States. 
 
  3.  A  culinary  utensil  of  metal  with  a  plate  or  disk  which  is 
  heated,  and  held  over  pastry,  etc.,  to  brown  it 
 
  4.  A  large  poker.  [Prov.  Eng.]  --Halliwell. 
 
  5.  (Metal.)  Solidified  material  in  a  furnace  hearth. 
 
  {Giant  salamander}.  (Zo["o]l.)  See  under  {Giant}. 
 
  {Salamander's}  {hair  or  wool}  (Min.),  a  species  of  asbestus 
  or  mineral  flax.  [Obs.]  --Bacon. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  salamander 
  n  1:  any  of  various  typically  terrestrial  amphibians  that 
  resemble  lizards  and  that  return  to  water  only  to  breed 
  2:  reptilian  creature  supposed  to  live  in  fire 
  3:  a  metal  rod  with  a  handle;  used  to  stir  a  fire  [syn:  {poker}, 
  {stove  poker},  {fire  hook}] 
 
  From  THE  DEVIL'S  DICTIONARY  ((C)1911  Released  April  15  1993)  [devils]: 
 
  SALAMANDER,  n.  Originally  a  reptile  inhabiting  fire;  later  an 
  anthropomorphous  immortal,  but  still  a  pyrophile  Salamanders  are  now 
  believed  to  be  extinct,  the  last  one  of  which  we  have  an  account 
  having  been  seen  in  Carcassonne  by  the  Abbe  Belloc,  who  exorcised  it 
  with  a  bucket  of  holy  water.




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