ring snake
- noun
- UK
:
serpiente de collar
- A ring snake curled up under the log, its bright neck ring clearly visible.
Examples
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The ring snake is often mistaken for a venomous species.
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Many gardeners appreciate the ring snake for helping to control insects and small pests.
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The child was fascinated by the harmless ring snake he found in the woods.
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I saw a ring snake in the garden.
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The child was fascinated by the harmless ring snake he found in the woods.
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Many gardeners appreciate the ring snake for helping to control insects and small pests.
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A ring snake curled up under the log, its bright neck ring clearly visible.
Synonyms
A small harmless snake with a yellow or orange ring around its neck
A small snake that is not poisonous with a yellow or orange ring around its neck
A small harmless snake with a pale ring around its neck
A harmless European snake with a yellow collar
A common harmless European snake with a bright yellow collar often seen near water
A harmless snake found in England with a bright yellow or white collar
A small shy snake with bright rings that hides under rocks in dry western North America
How Dangerous
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'ring' (a circular marking or collar) combined with 'snake' yields 'a snake with a ring or collar marking', so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer the referent. Naming animals by visible markings is a common, cross-linguistic pattern, making this expression immediately understandable rather than idiomatic.
Etymology
Ring snake gets its name from the bright ring or collar of color around the snake's neck, a simple picture anyone can see. That clear image explains the name and helps you remember that a ring snake is 'harmless' and 'not poisonous'.