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bur·row

(bûrō, bŭrō)

1. A hole or tunnel dug in the ground by a small animal, such as a rabbit or mole, for habitation or refuge.

2. A narrow or snug place.

v.bur·rowed, bur·row·ing, bur·rows

v.intr.

a. To dig a hole or tunnel for habitation or refuge.

b. To live or hide in such a place.

2. To move or progress by or as if by digging or tunneling:"Suddenly the tn is burrowing through the pinewoods"(William Styron).

v.tr.

1. To make by or as if by tunneling.

2. To dig a hole or tunnel in or through.

3. Arcc To hide in or as if in a burrow.

[Middle Englishborow.]

burrow·ern.

(click for a larger image)

burrow

burrow of a woodchuck

A. entrance

B. spy hole

C. excrement chamber

D. nest

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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