beetle

¹ American  

[beet-l] / ˈbit l /

noun

1. any of numerous insects of the order Coleoptera, characterized by hard, horny forewings that cover and protect the membranous flight wings.

2. (loosely) any of various insects resembling the beetle, as a cockroach.

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verb (used without object)

beetled, beetling

1. Chiefly British. to move quickly; scurry.

   He beetled off to catch the train.

beetle ² American  

[beet-l] / ˈbit l /

noun

1. a heavy hammering or ramming instrument, usually of wood, used to drive wedges, force down paving stones, compress loose earth, etc.

2. any of various wooden instruments for beating linen, mashing potatoes, etc.

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verb (used with object)

beetled, beetling

1. to use a beetle on; drive, ram, beat, or crush with a beetle.

2. to finish (cloth) with a beetling machine.

beetle ³ American  

[beet-l] / ˈbit l /

adjective

1. projecting; overhanging.

   beetle brows.

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verb (used without object)

beetled, beetling

1. to project; jut out; overhang.

   a cliff that beetles over the sea; his mustache and beetling brows; thick eyebrows beetling over blue eyes.

2. to hang or tower over in a threatening or menacing manner.

   The prospect of bankruptcy beetled over him.

beetle ¹ British  

/ ˈbiːtəl /

noun

1. a heavy hand tool, usually made of wood, used for ramming, pounding, or beating

2. a machine used to finish cloth by stamping it with wooden hammers

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verb

1. to beat or pound with a beetle

2. to finish (cloth) by means of a beetle

beetle ² British  

/ ˈbiːtəl /

noun

1. any insect of the order Coleoptera , having biting mouthparts and forewings modified to form shell-like protective elytra

2. a game played with dice in which the players draw or assemble a beetle-shaped form

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verb

1. informal to scuttle or scurry; hurry

beetle ³ British  

/ ˈbiːtəl /

verb

1. (intr) to overhang; jut

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adjective

1. overhanging; prominent

Other Word Forms

• beetler noun
• beetling adjective

Etymology

Origin of beetle¹

First recorded before 900; late Middle English bit(t)il, betylle, bityl, Old English bitel(a), betl, derivative of bītan bite

Origin of beetle²

First recorded before 900; Middle English betel, bitille “mallet, hammer,” Old English bītel, bētel, bȳtel (cognate with Middle Low German bētel “chisel”), derivative of bē(a)tan beat

Origin of beetle³

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; back formation from beetle-browed

Example Sentences

Danny asked, and flicked away a winged black beetle that landed on his shoulder.

From Literature

In a paper published in the journal “Cell,” they break down the remarkable ability of one species of rove beetle to live among the typically combative ants.

From Los Angeles Times

A tiny beetle responsible for killing hundreds of thousands of oak trees in Southern California has reached Ventura County, marking a troubling expansion.

From Los Angeles Times

That could be it for the day: three licks of dew and a beetle.

From Literature

The scientists asked whether the beetles could reuse the tree's defensive chemicals to protect themselves from fungal infections.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• ant
• aphid
• bee
• butterfly
• cockroach
• dragonfly
• flea
• fruit fly
• gnat
• grasshopper
• ladybug
• mite
• mosquito
• moth
• pest
• spider
• termite
• tick