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

But the island will not be able to declare itself ferret free until next year.

From BBC

In a 2020 interview with The Ferret news service, she said that coverage of claims she was “legally male” had unleashed “a host of hate” and that the focus on having a gender recognition certificate was racist as well as transphobic because it failed to take in Indian cultural norms.

From BBC

Presidential campaigns routinely research potential vice-presidential nominees in order to ferret out any potentially embarrassing revelations.

From BBC

“So the adversarial system itself is supposed to ferret that out.”

From Los Angeles Times

But Mr Boakai said the court would "help ferret the causes and effects of the violence" and bring about "justice and healing".

From BBC

Related Words

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