fur

¹ American  

[fur] / fɜr /

noun

1. the fine, soft, thick, hairy coat of the skin of a mammal.

2. the skin of certain animals, as the sable, ermine, or beaver, covered with such a coat, used for lining, trimming, or making garments.

3. a garment made of fur.

4. any coating resembling or suggesting fur, as certain matter on the tongue.

5. Heraldry. any conventional representation of a fur, as ermine, vair, potent, or their variations.

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adjective

1. of or relating to fur, animal skins, dressed pelts, etc..

   a fur coat;

   a fur trader.

verb (used with object)

furred, furring

1. to line, face, or trim, with fur, as a garment.

2. Building Trades. to apply furring to (a wall, ceiling, etc.).

3. to clothe (a person) with fur.

4. to coat with foul or deposited matter.

idioms

1. make the fur fly,

   1. to cause a scene or disturbance, especially of a violent nature; make trouble.

      When the kids got mad they really made the fur fly.

   2. to do things quickly.

      He sure makes the fur fly when it’s his turn to do the housecleaning.

fur. ² American  

abbreviation

1. furlong; furlongs.

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fur ¹ British  

/ fɜː /

noun

1. the dense coat of fine silky hairs on such mammals as the cat, seal, and mink

2. 1. the dressed skin of certain fur-bearing animals, with the hair left on

   2. ( as modifier )

      a fur coat

3. a garment made of fur, such as a coat or stole

4. 1. a pile fabric made in imitation of animal fur

   2. a garment made from such a fabric

5. heraldry any of various stylized representations of animal pelts or their tinctures, esp ermine or vair, used in coats of arms

6. informal a whitish coating of cellular debris on the tongue, caused by excessive smoking, an upset stomach, etc

7. a whitish-grey deposit consisting chiefly of calcium carbonate precipitated from hard water onto the insides of pipes, boilers, and kettles

8. to cause a scene or disturbance

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verb

1. (tr) to line or trim a garment, etc, with fur

2. (often foll by up) to cover or become covered with a furlike lining or deposit

3. (tr) to clothe (a person) in a fur garment or garments

fur. ² British  

abbreviation

1. furlong

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fur More Idioms  

1. see make the dust (fur) fly.

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Other Word Forms

• furless adjective

Etymology

Origin of fur

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English furre (noun), derivative of furren “to trim with fur,” from Anglo-French furrer, Old French fo(u)rrer, originally “to encase,” derivative of fuerre “sheath,” from Germanic; akin to Old English fōdder “case, sheath,” Old Norse fōthr, Greek pṓma

Example Sentences

He was some breed of mutt with ears too big and a mishmash of white-and.brown fur.

From Literature

He’d placed the monocle on the tufted fur beneath his socket, then peered into the pond’s reflection.

From Literature

Its white fur is caused by leucism, which may make it more vulnerable, yet it repeatedly returned to the same branch, seemingly unconcerned by observers.

From BBC

Amid a worrying Covid variant outbreak among minks -- when Denmark was the largest exporter of their furs -- she ordered the culling of some 17 million minks, an order which was later ruled illegal.

From Barron's

Bear, an 11-year-old Australian Koolie, was one of the first dogs in the country to be trained on the scent of koala fur.

From Barron's

Related Words

• coat
• jacket
• pelt
• skin
• wool