ferret

¹

[ fer-it ]

noun

1. a domesticated, usually red-eyed, and albinic variety of the polecat, used in Europe for driving rabbits and rats from their burrows.
2. black-footed ferret.

verb (used with object)

1. to drive out by using or as if using a ferret (often followed by out ):

   to ferret rabbits from their burrows;

   to ferret out enemies.

2. to hunt with ferrets.
3. to hunt over with ferrets:

   to ferret a field.

4. to search out, discover, or bring to light (often followed by out ):

   to ferret out the facts.

5. to harry, worry, or torment:

   His problems ferreted him day and night.

verb (used without object)

1. to search about.

ferret

²

[ fer-it ]

noun

1. a narrow tape or ribbon, as of silk or cotton, used for binding, trimming, etc.

ferret

¹

/ ˈfɛrɪt /

noun

1. a domesticated albino variety of the polecat Mustela putorius , bred for hunting rats, rabbits, etc
2. an assiduous searcher
3. black-footed ferret
   a musteline mammal, Mustela nigripes , of W North America, closely related to the weasels

verb

1. to hunt (rabbits, rats, etc) with ferrets
2. trusually foll byout to drive from hiding

   to ferret out snipers

3. trusually foll byout to find by persistent investigation
4. intr to search around

ferret

²

/ ˈfɛrɪt /

noun

1. silk binding tape

Derived Forms

• ˈferrety, adjective
• ˈferreter, noun

Other Words From

• ferret·er noun
• ferret·y adjective
• un·ferret·ed adjective
• un·ferret·ing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ferret¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English feret, furet, from Middle French furet, fuiret, from Vulgar Latin furittus (unrecorded), equivalent to fūr “thief” + -ittus -et

Origin of ferret²

First recorded in 1570–80; alteration of Italian fioretto “floss silk,” literally, “little flower,” equivalent to fior(e) + -etto diminutive ending; flower, -et

Word History and Origins

Origin of ferret¹

C14: from Old French furet , from Latin fur thief

Origin of ferret²

C16: from Italian fioretti floss silk, plural of fioretto : a little flower, from fiore flower, from Latin flōs

Example Sentences

They have used a variety of methods to ferret out information, including searching for DEI programs or even just emails with the keywords "climate change" in them.

From Salon

Two baby black-footed ferrets have made history as the first endangered animals to be born from a cloned mother.

From NewsForKids.net

He was part of a world-first plan to rid an island off the coast of Northern Ireland of ferrets.

From BBC

Jay also "enjoyed fishing and rabbiting with his dad" and helped looking after the family pets, which included lurchers, ferrets and a bearded dragon.

From BBC

Apparently the Platonic method of ferreting out hidden meanings was key to the neocons' certainty that Iraqi WMDs existed.

From Salon

Related Words

• check
• comb
• examine
• explore
• go through
• hunt
• hunt for
• inspect
• investigate
• look
• probe
• ransack
• scan
• scour
• scout
• scrutinize
• seek
• sift