amphibious, a.
(æmˈfɪbɪəs)
[f. amphibia + -ous.]
1. Living both on land and in water. a. of animals.
| [1609 B. Jonson Silent Wom. i. iv, Captain Otter, sir;..he has had command both by sea and land... O, then he is animal amphibium?] 1654 Lestrange Charles I, 87 The..Admiral..being scanted in Mariners..was enforced to take in two thousand two hundred land men, who should be amphibious, serving partly for sea-men, and partly for land-souldiers. 1697 W. Dampier Voy. I. (1729) 57 Guano's..lay Eggs as most of those amphibious creatures do. 1735 Somerville Chase iv. 364 On him Th' amphibious Otter feasts. 1833 Sir C. Bell Hand 138 Buffon tried to make a dog amphibious. |
b. of plants.
| 1716 Bradley in Phil. Trans. XXIX. 486 Plants..are either Terrestrial, Amphibious, or Aquatick. 1813 C. Marshall Gardening (ed. 5) 120 The amphibious tribe as willow, sallow, withy, osier, etc. |
2. a. Of, pertaining to, suited for, or connected with both land and water.
| 1646 Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. 138 Not only to swim in the water, but move upon the land, according to the amphibious and mixt intention of nature. 1663 Butler Hudibr. i. i. 27 So some Rats of Amphibious Nature Are either for the Land or Water. 1713 C'tess of Winchilsea Misc. Poems 246 The fatal Goodwin..that dangerous Sand, Amphibious in its kind, nor Sea nor Land. 1805 Wordsw. Prel. iii. 69 A floating island, an amphibious spot. |
b. Of a vehicle, aeroplane, etc.: = amphibian A. 3; of a military operation: involving both land and sea forces; of soldiers: trained or used for amphibious warfare.
| 1915 Illustr. War News 7 Apr. 17 A new and ingenious amphibious automobile..constructed for the Austrian Army..the invention combines..features both of a boat and of a motor-car. 1928 H. Rowan-Robinson Artillery vi. 46 Even if amphibious tanks can be built, rivers will be normally crossed at the bridges. 1931 Illustr. London News 31 Oct. 675/2 The Carden-Loyd Amphibious Tank has all the fighting qualities of the latest light Tank, and, in addition, can navigate deep water as easily as it can cross the roughest country. 1941 New Statesman 15 Feb. 151/2 There remains the possibility of ‘amphibious’ warfare. 1943 W. S. Churchill in Hansard Commons ser. v. CCCXC. 563 Amphibious operations of peculiar complexity and hazard. 1945 Ann. Reg. 1944 56 ‘Ducks’, amphibious lorries which were equally at home on land and in the water. 1945 Daily Tel. 17 May 5/6 Vice-Adml. Barbey, Commander of Amphibious Forces in the South-West Pacific. |
3. Having two lives; occupying two positions; connected with or combining two classes, ranks, offices, qualities, etc.
| 1643 Sir T. Browne Relig. Med. (1656) i. §34 We are onely that amphibious piece between a corporall and spirituall essence. 1712 Addison Spect. No. 435 ¶5 Such an Amphibious Dress [i.e. belonging to both sexes]. 1756 Nugent Montesquieu (1758) II. xxviii. xxxix. 312 Formed an amphibious code, where the French and Roman laws were mixed. 1817 Coleridge Biog. Lit. I. i. 24 An amphibious something..half of image, and half of abstract meaning. 1843 Carlyle Past & Pr. 178, I have considered this amphibious Pope. |