bee|tle

bee|tle¹ «BEE tuhl», noun, verb, -tled, -tling.

–n.

1. an insect that has two hard, shiny cases that cover its wings when at rest. There are over 250,000 species of beetles, which vary in size from that of a pinhead to nearly that of a man's fist.

2. any insect resembling a beetle, such as the cockroach.

–v.i.

Informal. to move quickly; scurry: »

His eyes beetled across the page (New Yorker).

╂[Middle English betylle, Old English bitula. See related etym. at bite. (Cf. ↑bite)]

–bee´tle|like´, adjective.

bee|tle² «BEE tuhl», noun, verb, -tled, -tling.

–n.

1. a heavy wooden mallet for ramming, crushing, or smoothing; a maul.

2. Especially British. a wooden household utensil for beating or mashing.

3. a machine for finishing linen or cotton cloth by hammering it.

–v.t.

1. to pound with a beetle.

2. to finish (cloth) by means of a beetling machine.

╂[Old English bīetel < bēatan beat]

bee|tle³ «BEE tuhl», verb, -tled, -tling, adjective.

–v.i.

to project or overhang: »

Great cliffs beetled above the narrow path.

–adj.

projecting or overhanging.

╂[apparently a back formation by Shakespeare < beetle-browed]