vole¹

[vohl]

See more synonyms for vole on Thesaurus.com

noun

any of several small mouselike or ratlike rodents of the genus Microtus and related genera, having short limbs and a short tail.

Origin of vole¹

1795–1805; short for volemouse field mouse, perhaps < Norwegian *vollmus, equivalent to voll field (cf. wold¹) + mus mouse

vole²

[vohl]

noun

Cards. the winning by one player of all the tricks of a deal.

Idioms

go the vole,
1. to venture everything on the chance of great rewards.
2. to try one after another, as a variety of occupations: He went the vole and finally settled on watchmaking.

Origin of vole²

1670–80; < French, derivative of voler to fly < Latin volāre

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for vole

Contemporary Examples

With most diseases spread by rodents, the mouse or rat or vole is only an intermediary (a “host”) for fleas and lice and the like.
Yosemite Hanta Virus: Nature Strikes Back
Kent Sepkowitz
September 3, 2012

Historical Examples

For a long time the vole, not daring to move, remained in the shadow.
Creatures of the Night
Alfred W. Rees
Fascinated, the vole stayed awhile to look at the hovering hawk.
Creatures of the Night
Alfred W. Rees
From the signs that were fresh the vole learned the story of field-life for the day.
Creatures of the Night
Alfred W. Rees
As he is the weaker, the Vole is obliged to submit to this vexatious tax.
The Industries of Animals
Frdric Houssay
Small as he was, and crouching as only a vole can crouch, there was no escape from contact with it.
"Wee Tim'rous Beasties"
Douglas English

British Dictionary definitions for vole

vole¹

noun

any of numerous small rodents of the genus Microtus and related genera, mostly of Eurasia and North America and having a stocky body, short tail, and inconspicuous ears: family CricetidaeSee also water vole

Word Origin

C19: short for volemouse, from Old Norse vollr field + mus mouse; related to Icelandic vollarmus

vole²

noun

(in some card games, such as écarté) the taking of all the tricks in a deal, thus scoring extra points

Word Origin

C17: from French, from voler to fly, from Latin volāre

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 vole

n.

1805, volemouse, literally "field-mouse," with first element probably from Old Norse völlr "field," from Proto-Germanic *walthuz (cf. Icelandic völlr, Swedish vall "field," Old English weald; see wold).

vole.css-pdubzd{font-size:17px;vertical-align:super;}1

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}vole1

vole2

Origin of vole2

Examples from the Web for vole

Contemporary Examples

With most diseases spread by rodents, the mouse or rat or vole is only an intermediary (a “host”) for fleas and lice and the like.

Historical Examples

For a long time the vole, not daring to move, remained in the shadow.

Fascinated, the vole stayed awhile to look at the hovering hawk.

From the signs that were fresh the vole learned the story of field-life for the day.

As he is the weaker, the Vole is obliged to submit to this vexatious tax.

Small as he was, and crouching as only a vole can crouch, there was no escape from contact with it.

vole1

Word Origin

vole2

Word Origin

Word Origin and History for vole

n.

vole¹

Origin of vole¹

vole²

Origin of vole²

vole¹

vole²