ferret

The definition of a ferret is a small animal with a long, slender body, short legs and a long tail, often kept as a pet.

(noun)

An example of a ferret is a pet weasel.

Ferret means a narrow ribbon of fabric.

(noun)

An example of a ferret is a strap over the shoulder of a dress.

Ferret is defined as to search for, or to force out of hiding.

(verb)

An example of ferret is to investigate the hidden details of a historical mystery.
An example of ferret is to search through rooms to find a criminal who has been hiding.

See ferret in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

a narrow ribbon of cotton, wool, silk, etc.

Origin: < It fioretti, floss silk, orig. pl. of fioretto, dim. of fiore, a flower < L flos, flower

noun

a small, domesticated European polecat with pink eyes and yellowish fur, easily tamed for hunting rabbits, rats, etc.
a rare, black-footed weasel (Mustela nigripes) of the W U.S.

Origin: ME feret < OFr furet < LL furetus, dim. of furo, a ferret < L fur, thief: see furtive

transitive verb

to force out of hiding with or as if with a ferret
to search for persistently and discover (facts, the truth, etc.); search: with out
Archaic to keep after; harass

intransitive verb

Related Forms:

See ferret in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

A weasellike, usually albino mammal (Mustela putorius furo) related to the polecat and often trained to hunt rats or rabbits.
A black-footed ferret.

verb fer·ret·ed, fer·ret·ing, fer·rets

verb, transitive

a. To hunt (rabbits, for example) with ferrets.
b. To drive out, as from a hiding place; expel.
To uncover and bring to light by searching. Often used with out: “Their work merely points the way for others to ferret out the core components of all proteins” (Natalie Angier).
To hound or harry persistently; worry.

verb, intransitive