1. [n]  limbless scaly elongate reptile; some are venomous
2. [n]  an obsolete bass cornet; resembles a snake
3. [n]  a firework that moves in serpentine manner when ignited

Serpent
Clive Cussler introduces new action hero Kurt Austin in his first novel from the NUMA Files. The thrill ride begins when Kurt, leader of a courageous National Underwater Marine Agency, rescues Nina Kirov, a beautiful marine archaeologist, from the lethal grip of a powerful Texas industrialist named Halcon. Now Nina and Kurt must take on a dangerous mission to uncover Halcon`s plan to violently carve out a new nation from the southwest United States to Mexico. But before they do that, history reveals an amazing truth: that Columbus may have made a fifth, unknown voyage to America in search of treasure and that the remains of a battered Italian luxury liner may hold the key to not only what Columbus may have found, but also the fate of the United States itself.

more details ...

1. \Ser"pent\, n. [F., fr. L. serpens, -entis (sc. bestia),
   fr. serpens, p. pr. of serpere to creep; akin to Gr. ???,
   Skr. sarp, and perhaps to L. repere, E. reptile. Cf.
   {Herpes}.]
   1. (Zo["o]l.) Any reptile of the order Ophidia; a snake,
      especially a large snake. See Illust. under {Ophidia}.
   Note: The serpents are mostly long and slender, and move
         partly by bending the body into undulations or folds
         and pressing them against objects, and partly by using
         the free edges of their ventral scales to cling to
         rough surfaces. Many species glide swiftly over the
         ground, some burrow in the earth, others live in trees.
         A few are entirely aquatic, and swim rapidly. See
         {Ophidia}, and {Fang}.
   2. Fig.: A subtle, treacherous, malicious person.
   3. A species of firework having a serpentine motion as it
      passess through the air or along the ground.
   4. (Astron.) The constellation Serpens.
   5. (Mus.) A bass wind instrument, of a loud and coarse tone,
      formerly much used in military bands, and sometimes
      introduced into the orchestra; -- so called from its form.
   {Pharaoh's serpent} (Chem.), mercuric sulphocyanate, a
      combustible white substance which in burning gives off a
      poisonous vapor and leaves a peculiar brown voluminous
      residue which is expelled in a serpentine from. It is
      employed as a scientific toy.
   {Serpent cucumber} (Bot.), the long, slender, serpentine
      fruit of the cucurbitaceous plant {Trichosanthes
      colubrina}; also, the plant itself.
   {Serpent eage} (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of
      raptorial birds of the genera {Circa["e]tus} and
      {Spilornis}, which prey on serpents. They inhabit Africa,
      Southern Europe, and India. The European serpent eagle is
      {Circa["e]tus Gallicus}.
   {Serpent eater}. (Zo["o]l.)
      (a) The secretary bird.
      (b) An Asiatic antelope; the markhoor.
   {Serpent fish} (Zo["o]l.), a fish ({Cepola rubescens}) with a
      long, thin, compressed body, and a band of red running
      lengthwise.
   {Serpent star} (Zo["o]l.), an ophiuran; a brittle star.
   {Serpent's tongue} (Paleon.), the fossil tooth of a shark; --
      so called from its resemblance to a tongue with its root.
   {Serpent withe} (Bot.), a West Indian climbing plant
      ({Aristolochia odoratissima}).
   {Tree serpent} (Zo["o]l.), any species of African serpents
      belonging to the family {Dendrophid[ae]}.
   

2. \Ser"pent\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Serpented}; p. pr. &
   vb. n. {Serpenting}.]
   To wind like a serpent; to crook about; to meander. [R.]
   ``The serpenting of the Thames.'' --Evelyn.
   

3. \Ser"pent\, v. t.
   To wind; to encircle. [R.] --Evelyn.
   

(Heb. nahash; Gr. ophis), frequently noticed in Scripture. More than forty species are found in Syria and Arabia. The poisonous character of the serpent is alluded to in Jacob's blessing on Dan (Gen. 49:17; see Prov. 30:18, 19; James 3:7; Jer. 8:17). (See ADDER.)

This word is used symbolically of a deadly, subtle, malicious enemy (Luke 10:19).

The serpent is first mentioned in connection with the history of the temptation and fall of our first parents (Gen. 3). It has been well remarked regarding this temptation: "A real serpent was the agent of the temptation, as is plain from what is said of the natural characteristic of the serpent in the first verse of the chapter (3:1), and from the curse pronounced upon the animal itself. But that Satan was the actual tempter, and that he used the serpent merely as his instrument, is evident (1) from the nature of the transaction; for although the serpent may be the most subtle of all the beasts of the field, yet he has not the high intellectual faculties which the tempter here displayed. (2.) In the New Testament it is both directly asserted and in various forms assumed that Satan seduced our first parents into sin (John 8:44; Rom. 16:20; 2 Cor. 11:3, 14; Rev. 12:9; 20:2)." Hodge's System. Theol., ii. 127.