beaver

¹

[ bee-ver ]

noun

, plural bea·vers, (especially collectively) bea·ver

1. a large, amphibious rodent of the genus Castor, having sharp incisors, webbed hind feet, and a flattened tail, noted for its ability to dam streams with trees, branches, etc.
2. the fur of this animal.
3. a flat, round hat made of beaver fur or a similar fabric.
4. a tall, cylindrical hat for men, formerly made of beaver and now of a fabric simulating this fur. Compare opera hat, silk hat, top hat.
5. Informal. a full beard or a man wearing one.
6. Informal. an exceptionally active or hard-working person.
7. Slang: Vulgar.
   1. a woman's pubic area.
   2. Offensive. a term used to refer to a woman.
8. Textiles.
   1. a cotton cloth with a thick nap, used chiefly in the manufacture of work clothes.
   2. (formerly) a heavy, soft, woolen cloth with a thick nap, made to resemble beaver fur.
9. none Beaver. a native or inhabitant of Oregon, the Beaver State (used as a nickname).

verb (used without object)

1. British. to work very hard or industriously at something (usually followed by away ).

beaver

²

[ bee-ver ]

noun

, Armor.

1. a piece of plate armor for covering the lower part of the face and throat, worn especially with an open helmet, as a sallet or basinet. Compare buffe ( def ), wrapper ( def 7 ).
2. a piece of plate armor, pivoted at the sides, forming part of a close helmet below the visor or ventail.

beaver

¹

/ ˈbiːvə /

noun

1. a large amphibious rodent, Castor fiber , of Europe, Asia, and North America: family Castoridae . It has soft brown fur, a broad flat hairless tail, and webbed hind feet, and constructs complex dams and houses (lodges) in rivers
2. the fur of this animal
3. mountain beaver
   a burrowing rodent, Aplodontia rufa , of W North America: family Aplodontidae
4. a tall hat of beaver fur or a fabric resembling it, worn, esp by men, during the 19th century
5. a woollen napped cloth resembling beaver fur, formerly much used for overcoats, etc
6. a greyish- or yellowish-brown
7. obsolete.
   a full beard
8. a bearded man
9. modifier having the colour of beaver or made of beaver fur or some similar material

   a beaver lamb coat

   a beaver stole

verb

1. intrusually foll byaway to work industriously or steadily

beaver

²

/ ˈbiːvə /

noun

1. a movable piece on a medieval helmet used to protect the lower part of the face

Beaver

³

/ ˈbiːvə /

noun

1. a member of a Beaver Colony , the youngest group of boys (aged 6–8 years) in the Scout Association

Sensitive Note

Beaver as a term for a woman is perceived as insulting because it refers to the female in sexual terms. However, in the 1970s, it was CB radio slang, neutral in connotation and even used by women themselves as a term of self-reference.

Other Words From

• beaver·like beaver·ish adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of beaver¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English bever, Old English beofor, befor; cognate with German Biber, akin to Lithuanian bebrùs, Russian bobr, Latin fiber, Sanskrit babhrús “reddish brown,” also an animal resembling a mongoose

Origin of beaver²

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English bavier, bavour, beaver, from Middle French baviere ( Old French: “child's bib”), equivalent to bave “spit, dribble” + -iere, from Latin -āria, feminine of -ārius -ary; alteration of vowel in the initial syllable is due to confusion with beaver hat

Word History and Origins

Origin of beaver¹

Old English beofor ; compare Old Norse biōrr , Old High German bibar , Latin fiber , Sanskrit babhrú red-brown

Origin of beaver²

C15: from Old French baviere , from baver to dribble

Idioms and Phrases

see busy as a beaver ; eager beaver ; work like a beaver .

Example Sentences

I worked like a beaver to get it out, and yet the disease appeared to creep from limb to limb of the study before me.

From The Daily Beast

A dead beaver was spotted near Edgewater Court near the water.

From The Daily Beast

The damp, gray Beaver State is attracting the most incoming movers of any other state, according to a new survey.

From The Daily Beast

Commenting on his vanilla—some might even say “hokey”—demeanor, my wife said he reminded her of the father on Leave It to Beaver.

From The Daily Beast

Sure, Mitt Romney seems ripe for parody, what with his Leave It to Beaver vibe and eye-popping wealth.

From The Daily Beast

They also took advantage of the necessity of others, in miserly traffic in Beaver skins with the Savages.

From Project Gutenberg

These precautions are necessary, because, like all enterprising animals, the beaver is not without enemies.

From Project Gutenberg

From what has been said, it will be readily seen that the maintenance of the dam is a matter of vital importance to the beaver.

From Project Gutenberg

After dinner to horse again, being in nothing troubled but the badness of my hat, which I borrowed to save my beaver.

From Project Gutenberg

They heard nothing further from the scouts until late in the day, and then Black Beaver overtook them.

From Project Gutenberg