Trends ofweasel
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weasel
(wiːzəl)
Word forms: plural weasels
countable noun
A weasel is a small wild animal with a long thin body, a tail, short legs, and reddish-brown fur.
weasel in British English
(ˈwiːzəl)
nounWord forms: plural -sels or -sel
1.
any of various small predatory musteline mammals of the genus Mustela and related genera, esp M. nivalis (European weasel), having reddish-brown fur, an elongated body and neck, and short legs
2. informal
a sly or treacherous person
3. mainly US
a motor vehicle for use in snow, esp one with caterpillar tracks
Derived forms
weaselly (ˈweaselly) adjective
Word origin
Old English weosule, wesle; related to Old Norse visla, Old High German wisula, Middle Dutch weselweasel in American English
(ˈwizəl)
nounWord forms: plural ˈweasels or ˈweasel
1.
any of various agile musteline carnivores (esp. genus Mustela) with a long, slender body, short legs, and a long, bushy tail: they feed on rats, mice, birds, eggs, etc. and are worldwide
2.
a sly, cunning, or sneaky person
verb intransitive US
3.
to use weasel words
4. Informal
to avoid or evade a commitment or responsibility
with outDerived forms
weaselly (ˈweaselly) adjective
Word origin
ME wesel < OE wesle, akin to Ger wiesel, prob. < IE base *weis-, to flow out (with reference to the rank odor emitted by the animal) > virus, bisonImage ofweasel
© Cliff Watkinson, shutterstock
Examples of 'weasel' in a sentenceweasel
Word lists withweasel
affection, male animals, carnivoreIn other languagesweasel
British English: weasel /ˈwiːzl/ NOUN
A weasel is a small wild animal with a long thin body, a tail, short legs, and reddish-brown fur.
- American English: weasel
- Arabic: اِبْنُ عِرْس
- Brazilian Portuguese: doninha
- Chinese: 黄鼠狼
- Croatian: lasica
- Czech: lasice
- Danish: væsel
- Dutch: wezel
- European Spanish: comadreja
- Finnish: lumikko mustela nivalis
- French: belette
- German: Wiesel
- Greek: κουνάβι
- Italian: donnola
- Japanese: イタチ
- Korean: 족제비
- Norwegian: røyskatt
- Polish: łasica
- European Portuguese: doninha
- Romanian: nevăstuică
- Russian: ласка
- Latin American Spanish: comadreja
- Swedish: vessla
- Thai: อีเห็น
- Turkish: gelincik hayvan
- Ukrainian: ласка тварина
- Vietnamese: con chồn
Chinese translation of 'weasel'
weasel
(ˈwiːzl)
n (c)
-
鼬
(yòu)
related words
related adjective musteline
name of male whittret
Nearby words ofweasel
- wearisome
- weary
- wearying
- weasel
- weather
- weathered
- weave
Synonyms of 'weasel'
weasel
Explore 'weasel' in the dictionary