Adjacent Words

Squirrel definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

SQUIRREL, n. [L., Gr., shade, and tail.] A small quadruped of the genus Sciurus, order of Glires, and class Mammalia. The squirrel has two cutting teeth in each jaw, four toes on the fore feet, and five on the hind feet. Several species are enumerated. Among these are the gray, the red, and the black squirrel. These animals are remarkably nimble, running up tress and leaping from branch to branch with surprising agility. They subsist on nuts, of which they lay up a store for winter, some of them in hollow trees, others in the earth. Their flesh is delicate food.
SQUIRREL HUNT, n. In America, the hunting and shooting of squirrels by a company of men.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a kind of arboreal rodent having a long bushy tail
2: the fur of a squirrel

Merriam Webster's

I. noun (plural squirrels; also squirrel) Etymology: Middle English squirel, from Anglo-French escurel, esquirel, from Vulgar Latin *scuriolus, diminutive of scurius, alteration of Latin sciurus, from Greek skiouros, probably from skia shadow + oura tail — more at shine, ass Date: 14th century 1. any of various small or medium-sized rodents (family Sciuridae, the squirrel family): as a. any of numerous New or Old World arboreal forms having a long bushy tail and strong hind legs b. ground squirrel 2. the fur of a squirrel II. transitive verb (-reled or -relled; -reling or -relling) Etymology: from the squirrel's habit of storing up gathered nuts and seeds for winter use Date: 1925 to store up for future use — often used with away <squirrel away some money>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 any rodent of the family Sciuridae, e.g. the red squirrel, grey squirrel, etc., often of arboreal habits, with a bushy tail arching over its back, and pointed ears. 2 the fur of this animal. 3 a person who hoards objects, food, etc. --v. (squirrelled, squirrelling; US squirreled, squirreling) 1 tr. (often foll. by away) hoard (objects, food, time, etc.) (squirrelled it away in the cupboard). 2 intr. (often foll. by around) bustle about. Phrases and idioms: squirrel cage 1 a small cage containing a revolving cylinder like a treadmill, on which a captive squirrel may exercise. 2 a form of rotor used in small electric motors, resembling the cylinder of a squirrel cage. 3 a monotonous or repetitive way of life. squirrel (or squirrel-tail) grass a grass, Hordeum jubatum, with bushy spikelets. squirrel-monkey a small yellow-haired monkey, Saimiri sciureus, native to S. America. Etymology: ME f. AF esquirel, OF esquireul, ult. f. L sciurus f. Gk skiouros f. skia shade + oura tail

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Squirrel Squir"rel (skw[~e]r"r[~e]l or skw[i^]r"-; 277), n. [OE. squirel, OF. esquirel, escurel, F. ['e]cureuil, LL. squirelus, squirolus, scuriolus, dim. of L. sciurus, Gr. si`oyros; skia` shade + o'yra` tail. Cf. Shine, v. i.] 1. (Zo["o]l.) Any one of numerous species of small rodents belonging to the genus Sciurus and several allied genera of the family Sciurid[ae]. Squirrels generally have a bushy tail, large erect ears, and strong hind legs. They are commonly arboreal in their habits, but many species live in burrows. Note: Among the common North American squirrels are the gray squirrel (Scirius Carolinensis) and its black variety; the fox, or cat, sqirrel (S. cinereus, or S. niger) which is a large species, and variable in color, the southern variety being frequently black, while the northern and western varieties are usually gray or rusty brown; the red squirrel (see Chickaree); the striped, or chipping, squirrel (see Chipmunk); and the California gray squirrel (S. fossor). Several other species inhabit Mexico and Central America. The common European species (Sciurus vulgaris) has a long tuft of hair on each ear. the so-called Australian squirrels are marsupials. See Petaurist, and Phalanger. 2. One of the small rollers of a carding machine which work with the large cylinder. Barking squirrel (Zo["o]l.), the prairie dog. Federation squirrel (Zo["o]l.), the striped gopher. See Gopher, 2. Flying squirrel (Zo["o]l.). See Flying squirrel, in the Vocabulary. Java squirrel (Zo["o]l.). See Jelerang. Squirrel corn (Bot.), a North American herb (Dicantra Canadensis) bearing little yellow tubers. Squirrel cup (Bot.), the blossom of the Hepatica triloba, a low perennial herb with cup-shaped flowers varying from purplish blue to pink or even white. It is one of the earliest flowers of spring. Squirrel fish (Zo["o]l.) (a) A sea bass (Serranus fascicularis) of the Southern United States. (b) The sailor's choice (Diplodus rhomboides). (c) The redmouth, or grunt. (d) A market fish of Bermuda (Holocentrum Ascensione). Squirrel grass (Bot.), a pestiferous grass (Hordeum murinum) related to barley. In California the stiffly awned spiklets work into the wool of sheep, and into the throat, flesh, and eyes of animals, sometimes even producing death. Squirrel hake (Zo["o]l.), a common American hake (Phycis tenuis); -- called also white hake. Squirrel hawk (Zo["o]l.), any rough-legged hawk; especially, the California species Archibuteo ferrugineus. Squirrel monkey. (Zo["o]l.) (a) Any one of several species of small, soft-haired South American monkeys of the genus Calithrix. They are noted for their graceful form and agility. See Teetee. (b) A marmoset. Squirrel petaurus (Zo["o]l.), a flying phalanger of Australia. See Phalanger, Petaurist, and Flying phalanger under Flying. Squirrel shrew (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of East Indian and Asiatic insectivores of the genus Tupaia. They are allied to the shrews, but have a bushy tail, like that of a squirrel. Squirrel-tail grass (Bot.), a grass (Hordeum jubatum) found in salt marshes and along the Great Lakes, having a dense spike beset with long awns.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(squirrels) A squirrel is a small animal with a long furry tail. Squirrels live mainly in trees. N-COUNT

1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

A prostitute: because she like that animal, covers her back with her tail. Meretrix corpore corpus alit. Menagiana, ii. 128.