ferret

¹

[fer-it]

noun

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

2. black-footed ferret.

verb (used with object)

1. to drive out by using or as if using a ferret (often followed byout ).

   to ferret rabbits from their burrows;

   to ferret out enemies.

2. to hunt with ferrets.

3. to hunt over with ferrets.

   to ferret a field.

4. to search out, discover, or bring to light (often followed byout ).

   to ferret out the facts.

5. to harry, worry, or torment.

   His problems ferreted him day and night.

verb (used without object)

1. to search about.

ferret

²

[fer-it]

noun

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

ferret

¹

/ ˈfɛrɪt /

noun

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

2. an assiduous searcher

3. a musteline mammal, Mustela nigripes , of W North America, closely related to the weasels

verb

1. to hunt (rabbits, rats, etc) with ferrets

2. to drive from hiding

   to ferret out snipers

3. to find by persistent investigation

4. (intr) to search around

ferret

²

/ ˈfɛrɪt /

noun

1. silk binding tape

Other Word Forms

• ferreter noun
• ferrety adjective
• unferreted adjective
• unferreting adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ferret¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English feret, furet, from Middle French furet, fuiret, from Vulgar Latin furittus (unrecorded), equivalent to fūr “thief” + -ittus -et

Origin of ferret²

First recorded in 1570–80; alteration of Italian fioretto “floss silk,” literally, “little flower,” equivalent to fior(e) + -etto diminutive ending; flower, -et

Word History and Origins

Origin of ferret¹

C14: from Old French furet , from Latin fur thief

Origin of ferret²

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

Example Sentences

The modern discipline of psychology would ferret out the private motives of regular and refined collectors alike.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The study also included an animal experiment using ferrets, which are highly susceptible to H5N1.

Read more on Science Daily

We will ferret out students who protest against my policies.

Read more on Salon

That means eradicating invasive species such as possums, rats and mustelids—a group that includes weasels, ferrets and stoats.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Taylor ferrets out the secret with her bloodthirsty relentlessness and immediately raises pandemonium.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• check 
• comb 
• examine 
• explore 
• go through 
• hunt 
• hunt for www.thesaurus.com
• inspect 
• investigate 
• look 
• probe 
• ransack 
• scan 
• scour 
• scout 
• scrutinize 
• seek 
• sift