ferret

[ fer-it ]

/ ˈfɛr ɪt /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR ferret ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a domesticated, usually red-eyed, and albinic variety of the polecat, used in Europe for driving rabbits and rats from their burrows.

black-footed ferret.

verb (used with object)

to drive out by using or as if using a ferret (often followed by out): to ferret rabbits from their burrows; to ferret out enemies.

to hunt with ferrets.

to hunt over with ferrets: to ferret a field.

to search out, discover, or bring to light (often followed by out): to ferret out the facts.

to harry, worry, or torment: His problems ferreted him day and night.

verb (used without object)

to search about.

Nearby words

Origin of ferret

1350–1400; Middle English fer(r)et(te), fyret, furet < Middle French furet < Vulgar Latin *furittus, equivalent to fūr thief (< Latin) + -ittus -et

Related formsfer·ret·er, nounfer·ret·y, adjectiveun·fer·ret·ed, adjectiveun·fer·ret·ing, adjective

ferret

[ fer-it ]

/ ˈfɛr ɪt /

noun

a narrow tape or ribbon, as of silk or cotton, used for binding, trimming, etc.

Origin of ferret

1570–80; alteration of Italian fioretto floss silk, literally, little flower, equivalent to fior(e) (< Latin flōrem; see flower) + -etto -et

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for ferret

Ferret is a carefully chosen comparison, implying diligence but absolutely no imagination.
Sherlock Holmes Vs. Jack the Ripper|Clive Irving|November 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
That alone provides a powerful incentive for civil society to try to ferret out the numbers.
U.S. Drone Program Needs to Be Accompanied by Hard Facts on Civilian Deaths|Daniel Klaidman|November 8, 2013|DAILY BEAST
They were used to ferret rebel fighters out of their strongholds.
When Liberals Enable Tyrants|Michael Tomasky|September 6, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Reich, the former American diplomat, says he thinks Morales might just be crazy enough to ferret Snowden to La Paz.
Is Edward Snowden Bound for Bolivia? Evo Morales Sure Seems to Hope So|Eli Lake, Mac Margolis|July 2, 2013|DAILY BEAST

Lots of people at SAC work extremely hard to ferret out good investing ideas.
The Insider-Trading Cloud Hanging Over SAC Capital’s Steven A. Cohen|Daniel Gross|November 27, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Presently, a mink came out where poor Bunny first appeared—nose to the ground, and hunting like a ferret.
Two Years in Oregon|Wallis Nash
When this is so, the ferret should never be used again until it is quite well.
Studies in the Art of Rat-catching|H. C. Barkley
The Ferret was sitting up, and leaning toward Porter, who was sleeping an arm's length away.
The Country Beyond|James Oliver Curwood
What, send that vagabond to the carriage to ferret about there!
The Poor Plutocrats|Maurus Jkai
He was a sharp man of business, keen-visaged as a ferret, and restless as a nervous horse long reined in.
The Iron Pirate|Max Pemberton

British Dictionary definitions for ferret

ferret

/ (ˈfɛrɪt) /

noun

a domesticated albino variety of the polecat Mustela putorius, bred for hunting rats, rabbits, etc

an assiduous searcher

black-footed ferret a musteline mammal, Mustela nigripes, of W North America, closely related to the weasels

verb -rets, -reting or -reted

to hunt (rabbits, rats, etc) with ferrets

(tr usually foll by out) to drive from hidingto ferret out snipers

(tr usually foll by out) to find by persistent investigation

(intr) to search around

Derived Formsferreter, nounferrety, adjective

Word Origin for ferret

C14: from Old French furet, from Latin fur thief

noun

silk binding tape

Word Origin for ferret

C16: from Italian fioretti floss silk, plural of fioretto : a little flower, from fiore flower, from Latin flōs

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for ferret

ferret

late 14c., from Old French furet, diminutive of fuiron "weasel, ferret," literally "thief," probably from Late Latin furionem (related to furonem "cat," also "robber"), from Latin fur (genitive furis) "thief."

ferret

early 15c., from ferret (n.), in reference to the use of half-tame ferrets to kill rats and flush rabbits from burrows; the extended sense of "search out, discover" is 1570s. Related: Ferreted; ferreting.

ferret

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

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Origin of ferret

ferret

noun

Origin of ferret

Examples from the Web for ferret

ferret

noun

verb -rets, -reting or -reted

Word Origin for ferret

noun

Word Origin for ferret

ferret

ferret