weasel

[ wee-zuhl ]
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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.

  1. a cunning, sneaky person.

  2. a tracked vehicle resembling a tractor, used in snow.

  3. 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.

  1. Slang. to inform.

Origin of weasel

1
before 900; 1920–25 for def. 6; Middle English wesele, Old English wesle, weosule; cognate with Old High German wisula, German Wiesel

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British Dictionary definitions for weasel

weasel

/ (ˈwiːzəl) /


nounplural -sels or -sel
  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

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

Origin of weasel

1
Old English weosule, wesle; related to Old Norse visla, Old High German wisula, Middle Dutch wesel

Derived forms of weasel

  • weaselly, adjective

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