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Webster 1913 Edition

Squirrel

Squir′rel

(skwẽr′rĕl or skwĭr′-; 277)
,
Noun.
[OE.
squirel
, OF.
esquirel
,
escurel
, F.
écureuil
, LL.
squirelus
,
squirolus
,
scuriolus
, dim. of L.
sciurus
, Gr.
σίουρος
;
σκιά
shade +
οὐρά
tail. Cf.
Shine
,
Verb.
I.
]
1.
(Zool.)
Any one of numerous species of small rodents belonging to the genus
Sciurus
and several allied genera of the family
Sciuridae
. Squirrels generally have a bushy tail, large erect ears, and strong hind legs. They are commonly arboreal in their habits, but many species live in burrows.
☞ Among the common North American squirrels are the gray squirrel (
Sciurus Carolinensis
) and its black variety; the fox, or cat, squirrel (
Sciurus cinereus
, or
Sciurus niger
) which is a large species, and variable in color, the southern variety being frequently black, while the northern and western varieties are usually gray or rusty brown; the red squirrel (see
Chickaree
); the striped, or chipping, squirrel (see
Chipmunk
); and the California gray squirrel (
Sciurus fossor
). Several other species inhabit Mexico and Central America. The common European species (
Sciurus vulgaris
) has a long tuft of hair on each ear. The so-called Australian squirrels are marsupials. See
Petaurist
, and
Phalanger
.
2.
One of the small rollers of a carding machine which work with the large cylinder.
Barking squirrel
(Zool.)
,
the prairie dog.
–
Federation squirrel
(Zool.)
,
the striped gopher. See
Gopher
, 2.
–
Flying squirrel
(Zool.)
.
See
Flying squirrel
, in the Vocabulary.
–
Java squirrel
.
(Zool.)
.
See
Jelerang
.
–
Squirrel corn
(Bot.)
,
a North American herb (
Dicentra Canadensis
) bearing little yellow tubers.
–
Squirrel cup
(Bot.)
,
the blossom of the
Hepatica triloba
, a low perennial herb with cup-shaped flowers varying from purplish blue to pink or even white. It is one of the earliest flowers of spring.
–
Squirrel fish
.
(Zool.)
(a)
A sea bass (
Serranus fascicularis
) of the Southern United States.
(b)
The sailor’s choice (
Diplodus rhomboides
).
(c)
The redmouth, or grunt.
(d)
A market fish of Bermuda (
Holocentrum Ascensione
).
–
Squirrel grass
(Bot.)
,
a pestiferous grass (
Hordeum murinum
) related to barley. In California the stiffly awned spikelets work into the wool of sheep, and into the throat, flesh, and eyes of animals, sometimes even producing death.
–
Squirrel hake
(Zool.)
,
a common American hake (
Phycis tenuis
); – called also
white hake
.
–
Squirrel hawk
(Zool.)
,
any rough-legged hawk; especially, the California species
Archibuteo ferrugineus
.
–
Squirrel monkey
.
(Zool.)
(a)
Any one of several species of small, soft-haired South American monkeys of the genus
Callithrix
. They are noted for their graceful form and agility. See
Teetee
.
(b)
A marmoset.
–
Squirrel petaurus
(Zool.)
,
a flying phalanger of Australia. See
Phalanger
,
Petaurist
, and
Flying phalanger
under
Flying
.
–
Squirrel shrew
(Zool.)
,
any one of several species of East Indian and Asiatic insectivores of the genus
Tupaia
. They are allied to the shrews, but have a bushy tail, like that of a squirrel.
–
Squirrel-tail grass
(Bot.)
,
a grass (
Hordeum jubatum
) found in salt marshes and along the Great Lakes, having a dense spike beset with long awns.

Webster 1828 Edition

Squirrel

SQUIRREL

,
Noun.
[L., Gr., shade, and tail.] A small quadruped of the genus Sciurus, order of Glires, and class Mammalia. The squirrel has two cutting teeth in each jaw, four toes on the fore feet, and five on the hind feet. Several species are enumerated. Among these are the gray, the red, and the black squirrel. These animals are remarkably nimble, running up tress and leaping from branch to branch with surprising agility. They subsist on nuts, of which they lay up a store for winter, some of them in hollow trees, others in the earth. Their flesh is delicate food.

Definition 2024

squirrel

squirrel

English

Red squirrel

Noun

Wikispecies squirrel ‎(plural squirrels)

  1. Any of the rodents of the family Sciuridae distinguished by their large bushy tail.
  2. (Scientology, often pejorative) A person, usually a freezoner, who applies L. Ron Hubbard's technology in a heterodox manner.
  3. One of the small rollers of a carding machine which work with the large cylinder.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

squirrel ‎(third-person singular simple present squirrels, present participle squirreling, simple past and past participle squirreled)

  1. (transitive) To store in a secretive manner, to hide something for future use

Usage notes

Derived terms

Etymology

From Middle English squirel, squyrelle, from Anglo-Norman esquirel and Old French escurel (whence French écureuil), from Vulgar Latin scuriolus, diminutive of scurius, variant of Latin sciurus, from Ancient Greek σκίουρος ‎(skíouros). Displaced native Middle English aquerne, from Old English ācweorna.

Pronunciation

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