beetle

¹

[beet-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.

verb (used without object)

beetled, beetling 

1. Chiefly British.,  to move quickly; scurry.

   He beetled off to catch the train.

beetle

²

[beet-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.

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

[beet-l]

adjective

1. projecting; overhanging.

   beetle brows.

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

/ 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

verb

1. to beat or pound with a beetle

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

beetle

²

/ 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

verb

1. informal,  to scuttle or scurry; hurry

beetle

³

/ ˈbiːtəl /

verb

1. (intr) to overhang; jut

adjective

1. overhanging; prominent

Other Word Forms

• beetler noun
• beetling adjective

Word History and Origins

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of beetle¹

Old English bīetel , from bēatan to _beat ; related to Middle Low German bētel chisel, Old Norse beytill penis

Origin of beetle²

Old English bitela ; related to bitol teeth, _bit , bītan to _bite

Origin of beetle³

C14: perhaps related to _beetle ¹

Example Sentences

The harlequin lady beetle has helped farmers and gardeners control plant-eating pests, and defenders argue it is basically harmless.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Nvidia’s latest chips are mostly encased in plastic packages and resemble an ant or a beetle with copper wires for legs.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Fallen leaves also create an ecosystem for other species, Renwick explains: “You’ve got beetles in there. You have worms coming up from the ground. Moths lay their eggs in the leaves.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"In this case, it's a beetle that loses the tree and the wood it needs to lay its eggs."

Read more on BBC

It is smaller than your fingernail, but this hairy beetle is one of the biggest single threats to the UK's forests.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

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