Also 7 wiver, 7–9 weaver. [Prob. originally wĭver, a. OF. (north-eastern) wivre the weever (13th c.), a transferred use of wivre serpent, dragon (see WIVERE, WYVERN), Central OF. guivre (mod. heraldic F. guivre, givre), repr. L. vīpera VIPER; the more normal OF. descendant of L. vīpera is vivre, the weever (whence VIVER1, QUAVIVER), mod.F. vive. The fish was called ‘viper’ from its venomous spines: see quot. 1622.] A fish of the genus Trachinus or family Trachinidae, common on the coasts of Europe; esp. T. draco, the Greater, and T. vipera, the Lesser Weever. They have sharp dorsal and opercular spines with which they can inflict painful wounds.
1622. Drayton, Poly-olb., xxv. 167. The Weauer, which although his prickles venom bee, By Fishers cut away, which Buyers seldom see.
1666. Merrett, Pinax, 187. Araneus, a Weaver, or Wiver.
1747. Mrs. Glasse, Cookery, ix. 88. To Broil Weavers.
1752. J. Hill, Hist. Anim., 263. Trachinus … The Weever.
1766. Smollett, Trav., I. xviii. 292. Here too are found the vyvre, or, as we call it, weaver; remarkable for its long, sharp spines, so dangerous to the fingers of the fishermen.
1832. Proc. Berw. Nat. Club, I. 7. These are, the greater weaver … and the tadpole fish.
1848. Johns, Week at Lizard, 171. It was the Lesser Weever.
Comb. 1867. J. G. Wood, Routledge’s Pop. Nat. Hist., III. 97. The Great Weaver, or Weever Fish.
