weasel

The definition of a weasel is an animal in the genus Mustela that's thin, has a long tail and eats small animals, or a sneaky person.

(noun)

  1. An example of a weasel is the creature chased by a monkey around the mulberry bush.
  2. An example of a weasel is a person who always finagles more than she or he deserves.

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See weasel in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun pl. weasels or weasel

  1. any of various agile musteline carnivores (esp. genus Mustela) with a long, slender body, short legs, and a long, bushy tail: they feed on rats, mice, birds, eggs, etc. and are worldwide
  2. a sly, cunning, or sneaky person

Origin: ME wesel < OE wesle, akin to Ger wiesel, prob. < IE base *weis-, to flow out (with reference to the rank odor emitted by the animal) > virus, bison

intransitive verb

  1. to use weasel words
  2. Informal to avoid or evade a commitment or responsibility: with out

Related Forms:

See weasel in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
  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.
intransitive verb wea·seled also wea·selled, wea·sel·ing also wea·sel·ling, wea·sels also wea·sels
To be evasive; equivocate.
Phrasal Verb: weasel out Informal To back out of a situation or commitment in a sneaky or cowardly manner.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English wesele

Origin: , from Old English wesle

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