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n. 1. A domesticated mustelid mammal (Mustela furo syn. Mustela putorius subsp. furo) with an elongated flexible body, often kept as a pet and sometimes trained to hunt rats or rabbits. 2. A black-footed ferret. v. fer·ret·ed, fer·ret·ing, fer·rets v.tr. 1. a. To hunt (rabbits, for example) with ferrets. b. To drive out, as from a hiding place; expel. 2. To uncover and bring to light by searching. Often used with out: "Their work merely points the way for others to ferret out the core components of all proteins" (Natalie Angier). 3. To hound or harry persistently; worry. v.intr. 1. To engage in hunting with ferrets. 2. To search intensively. [Middle English furet, ferret, from Old French furet, from Vulgar Latin *fūrittus, diminutive of Latin fūr, thief; see bher-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] ferret·er n. ferret·y adj. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
n. A narrow piece of tape used to bind or edge fabric. [Probably alteration of Italian fioretti, floss silk, pl. of fioretto, diminutive of fiore, flower, from Latin flōs, flōr-, flower; see bhel-3 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
