1. Any snake that inhabits or frequents the water. Variously applied spec. to snakes of the tropical family Hydrophidæ, to certain Indian and American serpents, and, in England, sometimes to the common ringed snake, Tropidonotus natrix.
1601. Holland, Pliny, XXIX. iv. II. 358. The goodliest and fairest snakes to see too, are those which live in the water, and are called Hydra, i. water-snakes.
1631. Chapman, Cæsar & Pompey, I. i. 19. Looke how against great raines, a standing Poole Of Paddockes, Todes, and water-Snakes put vp Their speckl’d throates aboue the venemous Lake.
1698. Fryer, Acc. E. India & P., 48. Yet so good is Providence, as to warn us here,… by Water-Snakes, of our too near approach to the Land.
1768. G. White, Selborne, To Pennant, 18 June. Country people talk much of a water-snake, but, I am pretty sure, without any reason; for the common snake (coluber natrix) delights much to sport in the water.
1778. J. Carver, Trav. N. Amer., xviii. 486. The Water Snake is much like the Rattle Snake in shape and size, but is not endowed with the same venemous powers, being quite harmless.
1798. Coleridge, Anc. Mar., IV. 273. Beyond the shadow of the ship, I watched the water-snakes.
1836. W. Irving, Astoria, xvi. I. 265. Aquatic plants, on the broad leaves of which numbers of water snakes … were basking.
1883. Moloney, W. Afr. Fisheries, 43. In West Africa man has competitors as fish destroyers, such as the crocodile, shark,… water snake, turtle,… etc.
† 2. Jocularly applied to a boatman. Obs.
1609. Dekker, Guls Horne-bk., vi. 31. That dividing of your Fare wil make the poore watersnaks be ready to pul you in peeces to enioy your custome.
3. Astr. The Southern constellation Hydrus.
1756. J. Ferguson, Astron. Expl., xx. (1790), 353.
1866. Proctor, Handbk. Stars, 70.
