FERRETING

Verb

ferreting

present participle of ferret

Noun

ferreting (countable and uncountable, plural ferretings)

Hunting with ferrets.

ferret (tape used to tie documents)

Source: Wiktionary


FERRET

Fer"ret, n. Etym: [F. furet, cf. LL. furo; prob. fr. L. fur thief (cf. Furtive); cf. Arm. fur wise, sly.] (Zoöl.)

Definition: An animal of the Weasel family (Mustela or Putorius furo), about fourteen inches in length, of a pale yellow or white color, with red eyes. It is a native of Africa, but has been domesticated in Europe. Ferrets are used to drive rabbits and rats out of their holes.

Fer"ret, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ferreted; p. pr. & vb. n. Ferreting.] Etym: [Cf. F. fureter. See Ferret, n.]

Definition: 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. Shak.

Fer"ret, n. Etym: [Ital. foretto, dim. of fiore flower; or F. fleuret. Cf. Floret.]

Definition: A kind of narrow tape, usually made of woolen; sometimes of cotton or silk; -- called also ferreting.

Fer"ret, n. Etym: [F. feret, dim. or fer iron, L. ferrum.] (Glass Making)

Definition: 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.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

18 March 2025

ODONTOGLOSSUM

(noun) any of numerous and diverse orchids of the genus Odontoglossum having racemes of few to many showy usually large flowers in many colors


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Coffee Trivia

In 1884, Angelo Moriondo of Turin, Italy, demonstrated the first working example of an espresso machine.

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