Snail

Definition of Snail

Pronunciation: snāl
n.1.(Zool.) Any one of numerous species of terrestrial air-breathing gastropods belonging to the genus Helix and many allied genera of the family Helicidæ. They are abundant in nearly all parts of the world except the arctic regions, and feed almost entirely on vegetation; a land snail.
2.Hence, a drone; a slow-moving person or thing.
3.(Mech.) A spiral cam, or a flat piece of metal of spirally curved outline, used for giving motion to, or changing the position of, another part, as the hammer tail of a striking clock.
4.A tortoise; in ancient warfare, a movable roof or shed to protect besiegers; a testudo.
They had also all manner of gynes [engines] . . . that needful is [in] taking or sieging of castle or of city, as snails, that was naught else but hollow pavises and targets, under the which men, when they fought, were heled [protected], . . . as the snail is in his house; therefore they cleped them snails.
- Vegetius (Trans.).
5.(Bot.) The pod of the sanil clover.
Ear snail
etc. See under Ear, Edible, etc.
Snail borer
(Zool.) a boring univalve mollusk; a drill.
Snail clover
(Bot.) a cloverlike plant (Medicago scuttellata, also, M. Helix); - so named from its pods, which resemble the shells of snails; - called also snail trefoil, snail medic, and beehive.
Snail flower
(Bot.) a leguminous plant (Phaseolus Caracalla) having the keel of the carolla spirally coiled like a snail shell.
Snail shell
(Zool.) the shell of snail.
Snail trefoil
(Bot.) See Snail clover, above.

Related Words

Chilopoda, Chordata, Dungeness crab, Echiuroidea, Ectoprocta, Entoprocta, Japanese crab, Monoplacophora, Nemertinea, Phoronidea, blue point, clam, coquillage, crab, crawdad, crawfish, crayfish, dawdle, dawdler, drone, foot-dragger, goldbrick, goof-off, laggard, langouste, lie-abed, limpet, lingerer, littleneck clam, lobster, loiterer, mussel, oyster, periwinkle, plodder, prawn, procrastinator, quahog, scallop, shellfish, shrimp, sleepyhead, slow goer, slow-foot, slowbelly, slowpoke, slug, sluggard, soft-shell crab, steamer, stick-in-the-mud, tortoise, whelk
Word:

Browse

Smug
Smuggle
Smuggler
Smugly
Smugness
Smut
Smut mill
Smutch
Smutchin
Smutty
Smyrniot
Snack
Snacket
Snacot
Snaffle
Snag
Snag boat
Snag tooth
Snagged
Snaggy
-Snail-
Snail borer
Snail clover
Snail flower
Snail shell
Snail trefoil
Snail-like
Snail-paced
Snailfish
Snake
Snake cucumber
Snake eater
Snake fence
Snake fly
Snake gourd
Snake killer
Snake moss
Snake nut
Snake's-head
Snake's-head iris
Snake's-tongue
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

© 2009 Interapple, Inc. Cover