ferret

¹ American  

[fer-it] / ˈfɛr ɪt /

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.

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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 American  

[fer-it] / ˈfɛr ɪt /

noun

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

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ferret ¹ British  

/ 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

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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 British  

/ ˈfɛrɪt /

noun

1. silk binding tape

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Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

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

Example Sentences

Stepping inside, Jeremy found his father shoving vitamins into a ferret.

From Literature

He lived there with his wife and children, alongside animals including chickens, ducks, geese, dogs and ferrets.

From BBC

The Spanish credited her with ferreting out plots against them and helping to recruit Indigenous warriors to Cortés’ ranks.

From Los Angeles Times

Such information can be hard enough to ferret out in democracies.

From The Wall Street Journal

They have undergone or are currently involved in successful reintroductions to the wild: Karner blue butterfly, red wolf, black-footed ferret, whooping crane, golden-lion tamarin.

From Literature

Related Words

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