Weasel
Pronunciation
- IPA: /ˈwiËzÉ™l/
- Rhymes: -iËzÉ™l
Origin
From Middle English wesele, from Old English weosule, from Proto-Germanic *wisulÇ (compare West Frisian wezeling, Low German Wessel, Wissel, Dutch wezel, German Wiesel, Swedish vessla), from Proto-Indo-European *wiselos (compare Irish fÃal 'ferret'), from *wis- 'musk, stink' (compare Latin virus 'slimy liquid, mud; stench', Sanskrit विसà¥à¤° 'musty, smelling of raw meat)'.
The verb comes from the supposed cunningness of the weasel.
Noun
weasel
(plural weasels)- The least weasel, Mustela nivalis.
- Any of the carnivorous mammals of the genus Mustela, having a slender body, a long tail and usually a light brown upper coat and light-coloured belly.
- The taxonomic family Mustelidae is also called the weasel family.
- A devious or sneaky person or animal.
- A type of yarn winder used for counting the yardage of handspun yarn. It most commonly has a wooden peg or dowel that pops up from the gearing mechanism after a certain number of yards have been wound onto the winder.
Derived terms
Full definition of weasel
Verb
- (transitive) To achieve by clever or devious means.
- 2010 (publication date), Tony Dajer, "Vital Signs", Discover (magazine), ISSN 0274-7529, volume 32, number 1, January–February 2011, page 10:Prisoners are notorious for weaseling day passes to get out of lockup....
- (transitive or reflexive) To gain something for oneself by clever or devious means.
- Alien Deception
- Uncovered: Revealing the Secrets of a Sexy Marriage
- (intransitive) To engage in clever or devious behavior.
- Sex: A Man's Guide
Usage notes
Weaseling and weaseled are more common in the US. Weaselling and weaselled are more common in the UK.