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

When he even pretended to be moderate on abortion with his weasel words around the Florida ban, anti-choice activists threw a fit.

From Salon

In a series of tweets, he called Mr Vine a “weasel” and a “government shill” and said: “If you see this fella by a primary school call 999.”

From BBC

"The field is replete with weasel words and unfortunately one of those is consciousness," says Prof Stevan Harnad of Quebec University.

From BBC

“The U.S. has limited itself to blatant weasel words claiming that Julian can ‘seek to raise’ the First Amendment if extradited,” his wife, Stella Assange, said.

From Seattle Times

Stella Assange said the “so-called assurances” were made up of “weasel words.”

From Seattle Times