Viper and File
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The biter bit -dSsop says a viper found a file, and tried to bite it, under the supposition that it was good food; but the file said that its province was to bite others, and not to be bitten.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Viper and File” mean?
The biter bit -dSsop says a viper found a file, and tried to bite it, under the supposition that it was good food; but the file said that its province was to bite others, and not to be bitten.
Is “Viper and File” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.