Emily Dickinson Lexicon

REP'TILE, n.

1. An animal that moves on its belly, or by means of small short legs, as snakes, lizards, tortoises, and the like. In zoology, the reptiles constitute a class or order, including all such animals as are cold blooded, vertebrated, and breathe air; as tortoises, lizards, frogs, etc. Bell has separated the batrachians from this class, and arranges them under the denomination of Amphibia, because they breathe water in the tadpole state.
2. A groveling or very mean person; a term of contempt.