ferret

Noun · Verb
US[fer-uht]/ˈfɛrət/2 syllables
Synonyms: black-footed ferretMustela nigripesferret out

Open English WordNet

Noun (2)ferrets

  1. musteline mammal of prairie regions of United States; nearly extinctSynonyms: black-footed ferretMustela nigripesType of musteline mammal, mustelidMember of Mustela, genus Mustela
  2. domesticated albino variety of the European polecat bred for hunting rats and rabbitsType of polecat, fitch

Verb (3)ferrets, ferreted, ferreting

  1. hound or harry relentlesslyMore general hound, hunt
  2. hunt with ferretsMore general hunt, run
  3. search and discover through persistent investigation“She ferreted out the truth”Synonyms: ferret outMore general discover, find

Related words Mustela nigripes noun

Word of the day · Sep 29About this word
haphazardadjective

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Webster's Dictionary (1913)

Fer′ret noun

Origin: F. furet, cf. LL. furo; prob. fr. L. fur thief (cf. Furtive); cf. Arm. fur wise, sly.

Zoology An animal of the Weasel family (Mustela furo syn. Putorius furo), about fourteen inches in length, of a pale yellow or white color, with red eyes. It is a native of Africa, but has been domesticated in Europe. Ferrets are used to drive rabbits and rats out of their holes. They are sometimes kept as pets.

Fer′ret transitive verb [past tense & past participle Ferreted; present participle & verbal noun Ferreting.]

Origin: Cf. F. fureter. See Ferret, noun

To drive or hunt out of a lurking place, as a ferret does the cony; to search out by patient and sagacious efforts; — often used with out; as, to ferret out a secret.

Master Fer! I'll fer him, and firk him, and ferret him.— William Shakespeare
Fer′ret noun

Origin: Ital. foretto, dim. of fiore flower; or F. fleuret. Cf. Floret.

A kind of narrow tape, usually made of woolen; sometimes of cotton or silk; — called also ferreting.

Fer′ret noun

Origin: F. feret, dim. or fer iron, L. ferrum.

Glass Making The iron used for trying the melted glass to see if is fit to work, and for shaping the rings at the mouths of bottles.

Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54 · with additions: +PJC

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