weasel

[ wee-zuhl ]

noun

, plural wea·sels, (especially collectively) wea·sel.

1. any small carnivore of the genus Mustela, of the family Mustelidae, having a long, slender body and feeding chiefly on small rodents.
2. any of various similar animals of the family Mustelidae.
3. a cunning, sneaky person.
4. a tracked vehicle resembling a tractor, used in snow.
5. Slang. an informer; stool pigeon.

verb (used without object)

1. to evade an obligation, duty, or the like; renege (often followed by out ):

   That's one invitation I'd like to weasel out of.

2. to use weasel words; be ambiguous; mislead:

   Upon cross-examination the witness began to weasel.

3. Slang. to inform.

weasel

/ ˈwiːzəl /

noun

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. a motor vehicle for use in snow, esp one with caterpillar tracks

Derived Forms

• ˈweaselly, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of weasel¹

before 900; 1920–25 weasel fordef 6; Middle English wesele, Old English wesle, weosule; cognate with Old High German wisula, German Wiesel

Word History and Origins

Origin of weasel¹

Old English weosule, wesle; related to Old Norse visla, Old High German wisula, Middle Dutch wesel

Example Sentences

Some listeners may recall that in 2016, the Large Hadron Collider, which is a big ol’ particle collider in Switzerland, shut down because of a weasel.

From Popular-Science

Note the weasel words (a term they do actually teach in law school): “affected community.”

From The Daily Beast

In the usual weasel language: more observations were needed.

From The Daily Beast

His mean face slowly resolved into a baffled, respectful expression, like that of a weasel facing a trap.

From The Daily Beast

The Gold Weasel Medal goes to Marco Rubio, as others such as Tim Noah have noted.

From The Daily Beast

I think the American people would like to hear Romney weasel around that one.

From The Daily Beast

Courage, that a poor private carrying a musket has to spare of; that does not fail a weasel or a rat; that is a brutish faculty?

From Project Gutenberg

They have both been sometimes confounded with the weasel of Virginia, the genet, the musk-deer, and even with the hyna.

From Project Gutenberg

He is called the weasel armadillo, because his head is nearly of the same form as a weasel.

From Project Gutenberg

Then the father recollected his perjured vow, and his witnesses, the weasel and the well.

From Project Gutenberg

"They are following our people toward the lodges of the Ogalalas," Painted Weasel told him.

From Project Gutenberg