Whether you find them fascinating or fearsome, snakes have left a surprising mark on our language.
These slithering creatures, often associated with danger or deceit, inspire phrases that convey both caution and insight.
Speaking of insight, many snake phrases offer valuable wisdom and perspectives that apply to various aspects of life.
While we may not always appreciate their presence, feel free to explore our collection of common snake phrases to learn a thing or two about their meanings and usage.
Don’t forget to also check out our collection of animal phrases, their meanings, and their role in our lives.
Snake in the Grass
Meaning: Deceitful, treacherous, or untrustworthy, often pretending to be kind or harmless while secretly plotting harm or betrayal.
Example: The politician presented himself as a man of the people, but his actions proved he was nothing more than a snake in the grass.
Snake Oil Salesman
Meaning: A person who deceives others, typically by selling fraudulent or worthless products or making false promises. It originates from 19th-century America, where traveling salesmen claimed to sell “snake oil” as a miracle cure, which was usually ineffective or fake.
Example:
- “That investment opportunity sounds too good to be true; don’t fall for a snake oil salesman.”
- “Beware of snake oil salesmen trying to sell fake solutions to complex problems.”
Snake Oil
Meaning: A product or service that is marketed as a miracle cure or solution but is actually ineffective, fraudulent, or deceptive. The phrase originates from the 19th century when traveling salesmen would sell bottled “snake oil” as a cure-all, though it had little to no medicinal value.
Example: The new weight-loss supplement turned out to be just snake oil, offering no real results despite its bold claims.
Snake Eyes
Meaning: Rolling a pair of dice and getting two ones, which is the lowest possible roll in many dice games. It is often associated with bad luck or an unlucky situation.
Example: The gambler rolled snake eyes again, losing all his chips on the first toss of the dice.
Snake Pit
Meaning: A chaotic, dangerous, or hostile environment, often full of conflict or tension. The phrase can also describe a place where people are at odds with each other.
Example: The board meeting turned into a snake pit, with everyone arguing over the company’s future direction.
Snakebit
Meaning: Someone who is experiencing a series of unfortunate events or is constantly facing bad luck, much like a person who has been bitten by a snake, often metaphorically implying a cursed or unlucky situation.
Example: After his car broke down for the third time this month, he started feeling snakebit.
Serpent’s Kiss
Meaning: A gesture or action that appears sweet or tempting at first but has hidden danger or deceit, much like the biblical reference to the serpent offering Eve the apple in the Garden of Eden.
Example: Her flattering words seemed like a serpent’s kiss, but I soon realized she had ulterior motives.
Forked Tongue
Meaning: A person who speaks in a deceitful or hypocritical manner, often saying one thing and meaning another, similar to how a snake has a tongue divided into two parts.
Example: He spoke with a forked tongue, promising to help while secretly undermining the project.
Snake Charmer
Meaning: A person who can influence or control others through persuasion or charm, often using deceptive tactics, much like how a snake charmer controls a snake through music or gestures.
Example: The salesman was a real snake charmer, convincing the customers to buy things they didn’t need with his smooth talk.
Siphon the Python
Meaning: A vulgar slang term used to describe a man urinating. The word “python” is a colloquial reference to the male genitalia, and the phrase humorously refers to the act of relieving oneself.
Example: After the long road trip, he pulled over to the side and said, “Excuse me, I need to go siphon the python.”
Deaf as an Adder
Meaning: An old expression used to describe someone who is either completely or exceptionally deaf. The adder, a type of snake, was once believed to have poor hearing, hence the comparison.
Example: When I called out to him across the yard, he didn’t hear me at all—he’s as deaf as an adder!
Lower Than a Snake’s Belly
Meaning: A phrase used to describe someone or something that is morally corrupt, despicable, or extremely low in character. The phrase suggests a person or action that is so unethical, it’s lower than even a snake’s belly, which is very close to the ground.
Example: His actions during the crisis were lower than a snake’s belly—he took advantage of people’s misfortune for his own gain.