Alligator
Definition of Alligator
Al´li`ga`tor
n.
1.
(Zool.)
A
large
carnivorous
reptile
of the
Crocodile
family
,
peculiar
to
America
. It has a
shorter
and
broader
snout
than the
crocodile
, and the
large
teeth
of the
lower
jaw
shut
into
pits
in the
upper
jaw
, which has no
marginal
notches
.
Besides
the
common
species
of the
southern
United
States
, there are
allied
species
in
South
America
.
2.
(Mech.)
Any
machine
with
strong
jaws
, one of which
opens
like the
movable
jaw
of an
alligator
Alligator apple
(Bot.)
the
fruit
of the
Anona
palustris
, a
West
Indian
tree
. It is said to be
narcotic
in its
properties
.
Alligator fish
(Zool.)
a
marine
fish
of
northwestern
America
(
Podothecus
acipenserinus
).
- Loudon.
Alligator gar
(Zool.)
one of the
gar
pikes
(
Lepidosteus
spatula
) found in the
southern
rivers
of the
United
States
. The
name
is also
applied
to other
species
of
gar
pikes
.
Alligator pear
(Bot.)
a
corruption
of
Avocado
pear
. See
Avocado
.
Alligator snapper
(Zool.)
a very
large
and
voracious
turtle
(
Macrochelys
lacertina
)
inhabiting
the
rivers
of the
southern
United
States
. It
sometimes
reaches
the
weight
of two
hundred
pounds
.
Unlike
the
common
snapping
turtle
, to which the
name
is
sometimes
erroneously
applied
, it has a
scaly
head
and many
small
scales
beneath
the
tail
. This
name
is
sometimes
given
to other
turtles
, as to
species
of
Trionyx
.
Alligator wood
the
timber
of a
tree
of the
West
Indies
(
Guarea
Swartzii
).
v. i. & t.
1.
to
form
shallow
cracks
in a
reticulated
pattern
on the
surface
, or in a
coating
on the
surface
, of an
object
.
Related Words
crack
Word:
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Alleyed
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Alligate
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-Alligator-
Alligator apple
Alligator fish
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Alligator terrapin
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Alligator wood
Alligator wrench
alligatored
alligatorfish
Alligatoridae
Allignment
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Allionia
allis
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