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Webster 1913 Edition

Ferret

Fer′ret

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Ferreted
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Ferreting
.]
[Cf. F.
fureter
. See
Ferret
,
Noun.
]
To drive or hunt out of a lurking place, as a ferret does the cony; to search out by patient and sagacious efforts; – often used with
out
;
as, to
ferret
out a secret
.
Master Fer! I’ll fer him, and firk him, and
ferret
him.
Shakespeare

Fer′ret

,
Noun.
[Ital.
foretto
, dim. of
fiore
flower; or F.
fleuret
. Cf.
Floret
.]
A kind of narrow tape, usually made of woolen; sometimes of cotton or silk; – called also
ferreting
.

Fer′ret

,
Noun.
[F.
feret
, dim. or
fer
iron, L.
ferrum
.]
(Glass Making)
The iron used for trying the melted glass to see if is fit to work, and for shaping the rings at the mouths of bottles.

Webster 1828 Edition

Ferret

FER'RET

,
Noun.
1.
An animal of the genus Mustela, or Weasel kind, about 14 inches in length, of a pale yellow color with red eyes. It is a native of Africa, but has been introduced into Europe. It cannot however bear cold, and cannot subsist even in France, except in a domestic state. Ferrets are used to catch rabbits.
2.
A kind of narrow woolen tape.
3.
Among glass makers, the iron used to try the melted matter, to see if it is fit to work, and to make the rings at the mouths of bottles.

FER'RET

,
Verb.
T.
To drive out of a lurking place, as a ferret does the coney.

Definition 2024

ferret

ferret

English

ferrets (Mustela putorius furo)

Noun

ferret ‎(plural ferrets)

  1. An often domesticated mammal (Mustela putorius furo) rather like a weasel, descended from the polecat and often trained to hunt burrowing animals.
  2. The black-footed ferret, Mustela nigripes.
  3. A diligent searcher.
    • 1998 July 2, Charles Nicholl, "Screaming in the Castle" in the London Review of Books, Vol. XX, No. 13:
      The most challenging documentary discoveries were made by a tenacious archival ferret, Dr Antonio Bertoletti. In 1879 he published his findings in a slim, refreshingly dry volume, Francesco Cenci e la sua Famiglia.
Translations

Verb

ferret ‎(third-person singular simple present ferrets, present participle ferreting, simple past and past participle ferreted)

  1. To hunt game with ferrets.
  2. (transitive, intransitive) To uncover and bring to light by searching; usually to ferret out.
    • William Shakespeare
      Master Fer! I'll fer him, and firk him, and ferret him.
    • 1859, Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities
      I confess that we were so unpopular with the outrageous mob, that I only got away from England at the risk of being ducked to death, and that Cly was so ferreted up and down, that he never would have got away at all but for that sham.
    • 1922, Virginia Woolf, Jacob's Room Chapter 1
      She ferreted in her bag; then held it up mouth downwards; then fumbled in her lap, all so vigorously that Charles Steele in the Panama hat suspended his paint-brush.

Translations

Etymology 2

Italian fioretto

Noun

ferret

  1. (dated) A tape of silk, cotton, or ribbon, used to tie documents, clothing, etc. or along the edge of fabric.
    • Charles Dickens, Bleak House
      red tape and green ferret

French

Etymology

From fer +‎ -et.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /fɛ.ʁɛ/

Noun

ferret m ‎(plural ferrets)

  1. (metal) tag; aglet, aiguillette

Latin

Verb

ferret

  1. third-person singular imperfect active subjunctive of ferō

Etymology

Middle English furet, ferret, from Anglo-Norman firet, furet, diminutive of Old French fuiron ‎(“weasel, ferret”), from Late Latin furo ‎(“cat; robber”), diminutive of Latin fur ‎(“thief”).

Pronunciation

  • enPR: fĕr'ət, IPA(key): /ˈfɛrɪt/
  • Rhymes: -ɛrɪt

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