fer|ret

fer|ret
fer|ret1 «FEHR iht», noun, verb, adjective.
–n.
1. a) a white or yellowish-white animal related to the weasel, domesticated and used for killing rats and driving rabbits from their holes, found in Europe. It is the domesticated form of the European polecat. b) = black-footed ferret. (Cf. ↑black-footed ferret)
2. Figurative. a person who ferrets or searches out, such as a detective or investigator: »

The Treasury…decided to put its ferrets in to look at the whole setup (Sunday Times).

–v.t.
1. to hunt with ferrets.
2. Figurative. to drive from, off, or out of a place: »

Measures were accordingly taken…to ferret this vermin brood [buccaneers] out of the colonies (Washington Irving).

3. Figurative. to hunt; search out; discover: »

It took the detectives over a year to ferret out the criminal.

–v.i.
1. to hunt with ferrets.
2. Figurative. to search about; rummage: »

to ferret among the ruins.

–adj.
designed to search or pry with antennas and other electronic equipment: »

a ferret ship, ferret cars, a ferret satellite. “Ferret” orbiters…listen to each other's radio messages (Science News).

╂[< Old French furet, or fuiret (diminutive) < fuiron < Late Latin fūrō, -ōnis ferret, probably < Latin fūr thief]
–fer´ret|er, noun.
fer|ret2 «FEHR iht», noun.
a stout, narrow tape, used for bindings and shoestrings.
╂[alteration of obsolete Italian fioretto floss silk (diminutive) < fiore flower < Latin flōs, flōris]

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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  • fer´ret|er — fer|ret1 «FEHR iht», noun, verb, adjective. –n. 1. a) a white or yellowish white animal related to the weasel, domesticated and used for killing rats and driving rabbits from their holes, found in Europe. It is the domesticated form of the… …   Useful english dictionary

  • fer|ret|y — «FEHR uh tee», adjective. = ferretlike. (Cf. ↑ferretlike) …   Useful english dictionary

  • fer|ret|ing — «FEHR uh tihng», noun. a stout, narrow tape; ferret …   Useful english dictionary

  • fer|ret|like — «FEHR iht LYK», adjective. resembling or suggesting a ferret; ferrety …   Useful english dictionary

  • ret — abi·u·ret; amo·ret·to; aph·ae·ret·ic; ap·o·ret·ic; apy·ret·ic; ar·bo·ret; ar·ret; ar·sen·iu·ret·ted; ba·ret·ta; bar·ret; bar·ret·ter; be·ret; ber·ret·ti·no; bi·ret·ta; bi·u·ret; car·bu·ret·ant; car·bu·ret·or; ca·ret·ta; ca·ret·to·che·lyd·i·dae;… …   English syllables

  • ferret — fer·ret …   English syllables

  • ferreter — fer·ret·er …   English syllables

  • ferret — fer|ret1 [ ferət ] noun count a small thin furry animal with a long tail that people keep as a pet or use for hunting RABBITS and RATS ferret fer|ret 2 [ ferət ] verb intransitive 1. ) to search for something in a small space: ferret around: She… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • ferrettizzazione — fer·ret·tiz·za·zió·ne s.f. TS geol. processo di alterazione di detriti alluvionali e glaciali con idrolisi dei silicati, decalcificazione e arricchimento in ossidi di ferro e alluminio {{line}} {{/line}} DATA: 1932 …   Dizionario italiano

  • ferretto — fer·rét·to s.m. 1. dim. → ferro 2a. CO arnese di ferro di piccole dimensioni 2b. CO archetto, spec. di metallo, che si inserisce, con funzione di sostegno, nella parte inferiore delle coppe dei reggiseni 2c. CO fam., apparecchio per i denti 3. TS …   Dizionario italiano

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