I. ˈskȯ(r)pēən noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English scorpioun, from Old French scorpion, from Latin scorpion-, scorpio, from Greek skorpios, akin to Old English scearfian to cut off, scrape, Old High German scarbōn to cut into small pieces, Old Norse skarfr scarf (of a board), skera to cut — more at shear
1.
a. : any of numerous arachnids of most warm and tropical regions that constitute the order Scorpionida, that have an elongated body divided into a cephalothorax and a segmented abdomen whose posterior part forms a narrow segmented tail generally carried curled up over the back and carrying a venomous sting at the tip, that has four pairs of walking legs and in front a pair of limbs with large pinchers and a pair of chelicerae, that breathe by lungs, are viviparous and nocturnal, prey especially on insects and spiders, sometimes enter houses, sometimes become four or five or even eight or more inches long, and that have a severe sting which is rarely fatal to man — see book scorpion , whip scorpion
b. : any of various lizards: as
(1) : blue-tailed skink
(2) : pine lizard
c. : scorpion fish ; especially : fortescue
d. : a toadfish ( Opsanus tau )
2. : a scourge prob. studded with metal
my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions — 1 Kings 12:11 (Revised Standard Version)
3. : an ancient military engine for throwing missiles (as stones) : catapult , onager
4. : something that incites to action like the severe sting of a scorpion
the scorpions of absolute necessity — Arnold Bennett
[s]scorpion.jpg[/s] [
scorpion 1a
]
II. noun
Usage: usually capitalized
: scorpio herein