squirrel

[skwur-uh l, skwuhr- or, esp. British, skwir-uh l] /ˈskwɜr əl, ˈskwʌr- or, esp. British, ˈskwɪr əl/
noun, plural squirrels (especially collectively) squirrel.
1.
any of numerous arboreal, bushy-tailed rodents of the genus Sciurus, of the family Sciuridae.
2.
any of various other members of the family Sciuridae, as the chipmunks, flying squirrels, and woodchucks.
3.
the meat of such an animal.
4.
the pelt or fur of such an animal:
a coat trimmed with squirrel.
verb (used with object), squirreled, squirreling or (especially British) squirrelled, squirrelling.
5.
to store or hide (money, valuables, etc.), usually for the future (often followed by away):
I've squirreled away a few dollars for an emergency.
Origin
1325-75; Middle English squirel < Anglo-French escuirel (Old French escuireul) ≪ Vulgar Latin *scūrellus, *scūriolus, representing Latin sciurus (< Greek skíouros literally, shadow-tailed (ski(á) shadow + -ouros, adj. derivative of ourá tail); apparently so called because the tail was large enough to provide shade for the rest of the animal) with diminutive suffixes -ellus, -olus
Related forms
squirrelish, squirrellike, adjective
Examples from the web for squirrel
  • The squirrel's hoard, and fetch thee thence new nuts.
  • There had been an abundance of acorns and walnuts last year, which as you may know, is squirrel food.
  • The article did not say whether the squirrel was a suicide attacker, or if it survived.
  • Video stills show a ground squirrel chewing on a rattlesnake's shed skin and then licking its body to apply the masticated mush.
  • So researchers used an infrared camera to record squirrel rattlesnake encounters.
  • Because rattlesnakes can sense infrared radiation, a hot tail makes the ground squirrel look even bigger.
  • In the meantime, we'll be vigilantly guarding our wheat from the squirrel enemy.
  • Trying to really see this dandelion, that caterpillar-even that dead squirrel.
  • The squirrel sits on his limb and does not more for one half-hour.
  • As a joke, he chittered at the squirrel and told it to find his ball.
British Dictionary definitions for squirrel

squirrel

/ˈskwɪrəl; US ˈskwɜːrəl; ˈskwʌr-/
noun (pl) -rels, -rel
1.
any arboreal sciurine rodent of the genus Sciurus, such as S. vulgaris (red squirrel) or S. carolinensis (grey squirrel), having a bushy tail and feeding on nuts, seeds, etc related adjective sciurine
2.
any other rodent of the family Sciuridae, such as a ground squirrel or a marmot
3.
the fur of such an animal
4.
(informal) a person who hoards things
verb -rels, -relling, -relled especially (US) -rels, -reling, -reled
5.
(informal) (transitive) usually foll by away. to store for future use; hoard
Derived Forms
squirrel-like, adjective
Word Origin
C14: from Old French esquireul, from Late Latin sciūrus, from Greek skiouros, from skia shadow + oura tail
Word Origin and History for squirrel
n.

early 14c., from Anglo-French esquirel, Old French escurel (Modern French écureuil), from Vulgar Latin *scuriolus, diminutive of *scurius "squirrel," variant of Latin sciurus, from Greek skiouros "a squirrel," literally "shadow-tailed," from skia "shadow" (see shine (v.)) + oura "tail." Perhaps the original notion is "that which makes a shade with its tail." The Old English word was acweorna, which survived into Middle English as aquerne.

v.

"to hoard up, store away" (as a squirrel does nuts), 1939, from squirrel (n.). Related: Squirreled; squirreling.

Slang definitions & phrases for squirrel

squirrel

noun
  1. A crazy or eccentric person; nut, weirdo: I seen some squirrels in my life, but you got 'em all beat (1940s+)
  2. A hesitant or confused hot-rod driver (1950s+ Hot rodders)
verb
  1. (also squirrel away)To hoard or cache something; hide and save something for later (1939+)
  2. To weave about the road while driving, esp a hot rod (1950s+ Hot rodders)
Related Terms

seam squirrel