alligator Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun leather made from alligator's hide
noun either of two amphibious reptiles related to crocodiles but with shorter broader snouts
gator.
verb crack and acquire the appearance of alligator hide, as from weathering or improper application; of paint and varnishes

Sp. el lagarto the lizard (el lagarto de Indias, the cayman or American crocodile), fr. L. lacertus, lacerta, lizard. See Lizard.

(Zoöl.) A large carnivorous reptile of the Crocodile family, peculiar to America. It has a shorter and broader snout than the crocodile, and the large teeth of the lower jaw shut into pits in the upper jaw, which has no marginal notches. Besides the common species of the southern United States, there are allied species in South America.
(Mech.) Any machine with strong jaws, one of which opens like the movable jaw of an alligator; as, (a) (Metal Working) a form of squeezer for the puddle ball; (b) (Mining) a rock breaker; (c) (Printing) a kind of job press, called also alligator press.