boa


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bo·a

 (bō′ə)
n.
1. Any of various large, nonvenomous, chiefly tropical snakes of the family Boidae, which includes the anacondas, the boa constrictor, and other snakes that coil around and asphyxiate their prey.
2. A long fluffy scarf made of soft material, such as fur or feathers.

[Middle English, from Latin boa, a large water snake.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

boa

(ˈbəʊə)
n
1. (Animals) any large nonvenomous snake of the family Boidae, most of which occur in Central and South America and the Caribbean. They have vestigial hind limbs and kill their prey by constriction
2. (Clothing & Fashion) a woman's long thin scarf, usually of feathers or fur
[C19: from New Latin, from Latin: a large Italian snake, water snake]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

bo•a

(ˈboʊ ə)

n., pl. bo•as.
1. any nonvenomous, chiefly tropical constrictor of the family Boidae, esp. of the New World subfamily Boinae.
2. a scarf or stole, usu. of feathers or fur.
[1350–1400; Middle English < Latin]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.boa - a long thin fluffy scarf of feathers or furboa - a long thin fluffy scarf of feathers or fur
scarf - a garment worn around the head or neck or shoulders for warmth or decoration
2.boa - any of several chiefly tropical constrictors with vestigial hind limbs
constrictor - any of various large nonvenomous snakes that kill their prey by crushing it in its coils
Boidae, family Boidae - boas and pythons
boa constrictor, Constrictor constrictor - very large boa of tropical America and West Indies
Charina bottae, rubber boa, tow-headed snake - boa of grasslands and woodlands of western North America; looks and feels like rubber with tail and head of similar shape
Lichanura trivirgata, rosy boa - boa of rocky desert of southwestern United States
anaconda, Eunectes murinus - large arboreal boa of tropical South America
python - large Old World boas
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
بَواء: حَيَّةٌ تَعْصُرُ فَريسَتَها
hroznýš
kvælerslange
boa
kyrkislanga
smauglys
žņaudzējčūska
boa
boa
boa yılanı

boa

[ˈbəʊə] N
1. (also boa constrictor) → boa f
2. (= garment) → boa f (de plumas)
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

boa

[ˈbəʊə] n
(= scarf) → boa m
(= snake) → boa mboa constrictor n (= snake) → boa m constricteur
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

boa

nBoa f; boa constrictorBoa constrictor f
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

boa

[ˈbəʊə] n (snake) (also boa constrictor) → (serpente m) boa inv; (of feathers) → boa m inv
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

boa

(ˈbəuə) noun
(usually boa constrictor) a large snake that kills by winding itself round its prey.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
References in classic literature ?
The great, ugly head of the boa reared itself up from the coils which it had, with the quickness of thought, thrown about the man between the two trees.
extending it upon the forecastle deck, he now proceeds cylindrically to remove its dark pelt, as an African hunter the pelt of a boa. This done he turns the pelt inside out, like a pantaloon leg; gives it a good stretching, so as almost to double its diameter; and at last hangs it, well spread, in the rigging, to dry.
She seemed all strings and bell-pulls--ribbons, chains, bead necklaces that clinked and caught--and a boa of azure feathers hung round her neck, with the ends uneven.
And then they inspect the penny peep-show--at least Tom does-- while old Benjy stands outside and gossips and walks up the steps, and enters the mysterious doors of the pink-eyed lady and the Irish giant, who do not by any means come up to their pictures; and the boa will not swallow his rabbit, but there the rabbit is waiting to be swallowed; and what can you expect for tuppence?
She looked very smart in her new hat, a large black straw with a great many inexpensive flowers on it; and round her neck floated a long boa of imitation swansdown.
The third unbeliever was Monsieur Le Quoi, who merely whispered to the sheriff, that the corps was one of the finest he had ever seen second only to the Mousquetaires of Le Boa Louis!
One day he encountered an ambitious statesman, and gravely inquired after the welfare of his boa constrictor; for of that species, Roderick affirmed, this gentleman's serpent must needs be, since its appetite was enormous enough to devour the whole country and constitution.
There was Mrs Lenville, in a very limp bonnet and veil, decidedly in that way in which she would wish to be if she truly loved Mr Lenville; there was Miss Gazingi, with an imitation ermine boa tied in a loose knot round her neck, flogging Mr Crummles, junior, with both ends, in fun.
Looking over his shoulder, I saw that on the pavement opposite there stood a large woman with a heavy fur boa round her neck, and a large curling red feather in a broad-brimmed hat which was tilted in a coquettish Duchess of Devonshire fashion over her ear.
A big black hat with a wintry feather completed a headdress as unseasonable as my skating skirt and feather boa; of course, the good lady had all.
To complete it all, Clara fetched from the cabin an ukulele of boa wood that was the twin to Saxon's, and together they sang "Honolulu Tomboy."
He adds, "The Indians often find enormous boas, which they call Uji or water serpents, in the same lethargic state.