We're talking about apocalyptic literature here, which gets interpreted differently than, say, an Epistle. Was Daniel's statue with clay feet literal? No, but it was...true. Will a giant Serpent in corporal form be literally bound (with what?)? Most likely not, but the enemy's power will be somehow restrained. The use of types, figures, analogy, symbolism, and metaphor is heavy in apocalyptic.

So, to answer your question, I don't think I'm adding to or taking away if I'm getting at what the word (in context) is actually meant to communicate.