snake charmer
4
5.8
- noun
- /sneɪk ˈtʃɑːrmər/
:
flautista de serpientes
- As the sun set, the snake charmer demonstrated his tricks, showcasing his ability to control the serpent.
- chromolithograph of a snake charmer
- snake charmers' basti
- sapera = snake charmer
Next we have the snake charmer herself, Miss Cupcake Cat.
- Next we have the snake charmer herself, Miss Cupcake Cat.
Examples
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Next we have the snake charmer herself, Miss Cupcake Cat.
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She's our little snake charmer.
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You know, that snake charmer could use a little more practice.
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Give this snake charmer our answer.
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I got every detail I could on the snake charmer.
Fiction book (1992) -
When in India, do we have to watch snake charmers?
Blog text (16) -
You old snake charmer.
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If it wasn't for that snake charmer Howard Eppis, and those three cohorts of his at that trial of his, I'd have my son back with me today.
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We watched snake charmers and monkey trainers; rode on elephants and camels; explored, and even stayed in magnificent palaces built by maharajas.
Academic text (2001) -
The snake charmer played a tune that mesmerized the crowd while the snake danced to the rhythm.
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositionally built: a 'charmer' is an agent who charms, and combined with 'snake' it denotes someone who charms snakes. This agent + object pattern is transparent and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the meaning (a performer who appears to control or entertain with snakes).
Etymology
Snake charmer comes from street shows where a person plays a flute and a snake rises from a basket as if the music 'charms' it; the word charmer suggests someone who uses a 'charm' to calm or 'control' the animal. So a snake charmer is a performer who appears to control or calm snakes.