the fine, soft, thick, hairy coat of the skin of a mammal.
the skin of certain animals, as the sable, ermine, or beaver, covered with such a coat, used for lining, trimming, or making garments.
a garment made of fur.
any coating resembling or suggesting fur, as certain matter on the tongue.
Heraldry. any conventional representation of a fur, as ermine, vair, potent, or their variations.
adjective
of or relating to fur, animal skins, dressed pelts, etc.: a fur coat; a fur trader.
verb (used with object),furred,fur·ring.
to line, face, or trim, with fur, as a garment.
Building Trades. to apply furring to (a wall, ceiling, etc.).
to clothe (a person) with fur.
to coat with foul or deposited matter.
Idioms
make the fur fly,
to cause a scene or disturbance, especially of a violent nature; make trouble: When the kids got mad they really made the fur fly.
to do things quickly: She always makes the fur fly when she types.
Origin of fur
1300–50;Middle Englishfurre (noun), derivative of furren to trim with fur < Anglo-Frenchfurrer,Old Frenchfo(u)rrer orig. to encase, derivative of fuerre sheath < Germanic; akin to Old Englishfōdder case, sheath, Old Norsefōthr,Greekpṓma
Related formsfur·less, adjectiveCan be confusedfirfur
the dense coat of fine silky hairs on such mammals as the cat, seal, and mink
the dressed skin of certain fur-bearing animals, with the hair left on
(as modifier)a fur coat
a garment made of fur, such as a coat or stole
a pile fabric made in imitation of animal fur
a garment made from such a fabric
heraldryany of various stylized representations of animal pelts or their tinctures, esp ermine or vair, used in coats of arms
informala whitish coating of cellular debris on the tongue, caused by excessive smoking, an upset stomach, etc
Britisha whitish-grey deposit consisting chiefly of calcium carbonate precipitated from hard water onto the insides of pipes, boilers, and kettles
make the fur flyto cause a scene or disturbance
verbfurs, furringorfurred
(tr)to line or trim a garment, etc, with fur
(often foll by up)to cover or become covered with a furlike lining or deposit
(tr)to clothe (a person) in a fur garment or garments
Derived Formsfurless, adjective
Word Origin for fur
C14: from Old French forrer to line a garment, from fuerre sheath, of Germanic origin; related to Old English fōdder case, Old Frisian fōder coat lining
late 14c. "trimming or lining of a garment" (implied c.1300 in surname Furhode "fur hood"), probably from Old French fourrer "to line, sheathe," from fuerre "sheath, covering," from Frankish *fodr or another Germanic source (cf. Old Frisian foder "coat lining," Old High German fotar "a lining," German Futter, Gothic fodr "sword sheath"), from Proto-Germanic *fodram "sheath."
Sense transferred in English from the notion of a lining to the thing used in it. First applied early 15c. to animal hair still on the animal.
I'le make the fur Flie 'bout the eares of the old Cur. [Butler, "Hudibras," 1663]
As a verb, from c.1300, from Old French fourrer. Related: Furred; furring.
