weasel
(redirected from weasels)Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Idioms, Encyclopedia.
Related to weasels: Weasel family
wea·sel
(wē′zəl)n.
1. Any of various carnivorous mammals of the genus Mustela, having a long slender body, a long tail, short legs, and brownish fur that in many species turns white in winter.
2. A person regarded as sneaky or treacherous.
intr.v. wea·seled, wea·sel·ing, wea·sels also wea·selled or wea·sel·ling
Phrasal Verb: To be evasive; equivocate.
weasel out Informal
To back out of a situation or commitment in a sneaky or cowardly manner.
[Middle English wesele, from Old English wesle.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
weasel
(ˈwiːzəl)n, pl -sels or -sel
1. (Animals) 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. (Automotive Engineering) chiefly US a motor vehicle for use in snow, esp one with caterpillar tracks
[Old English weosule, wesle; related to Old Norse visla, Old High German wisula, Middle Dutch wesel]
ˈweaselly adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
wea•sel
(ˈwi zəl)n., pl. -sels, (esp. collectively) -sel, n.
1. any small carnivore of the genus Mustela, of the family Mustelidae, having a long, slender body and feeding chiefly on small rodents and birds: includes ferrets, stoats, minks, and ermines.
2. any of various similar carnivores of the family Mustelidae.
3. a cunning, sneaky person.
v.i. 4. to evade an obligation, duty, or the like; renege (often fol. by out).
5. to use weasel words; be ambiguous; mislead.
[before 900; Middle English wesele, Old English wesle, weosule, c. Old High German wisula]
wea′sel•ly, adj.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
weasel
Past participle: weaselled
Gerund: weaselling
| Imperative |
|---|
| weasel |
| weasel |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. | weasel - a person who is regarded as treacherous or sneaky |
| 2. |  weasel - small carnivorous mammal with short legs and elongated body and neckgenus Mustela, Mustela - type genus of the family Mustelidae: minks and weasels Mustela erminea, shorttail weasel, ermine - mustelid of northern hemisphere in its white winter coat Mustela rixosa, New World least weasel - of Canada and northeastern United States Mustela nivalis, Old World least weasel - of Europe longtail weasel, long-tailed weasel, Mustela frenata - the common American weasel distinguished by large size and black-tipped tail muishond - southern African weasel |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
weasel
nounCollins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
weasel
nounverbTo use evasive or deliberately vague language:
Idioms: beat about the bush, mince words.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
اِبْنُ عِرْسسُرْعوب: إبْن عِرْس
lasice
væselbæltekøretøjbrud
vizelo
nirk
lumikkonäätäeläinkärppä
lasica
lánctalpas jármûmenyét
hreysiköttur, vísla
イタチ飯綱
족제비
vikšrinis visureigisžebenkštis
zebieksteapvidus mašina
lasicaratrak
vessla
อีเห็น
gelincigelincik
con chồn
weasel
[ˈwiːzl]A. N (weasel or weasels (pl))
1. (Zool) → comadreja f
2. (= person) → zorro/a m/f
B. VI to weasel out of sth (= extricate o.s.) → escabullirse de algo
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
weasel
(ˈwiːzl) noun a type of small flesh-eating animal with a long slender body.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
weasel
→ اِبْنُ عِرْس lasice væsel Wiesel κουνάβι comadreja lumikko belette lasica donnola イタチ 족제비 wezel røyskatt łasica doninha ласка vessla อีเห็น gelincik con chồn 黄鼠狼Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009