terrier1

[ter-ee-er] /ˈtɛr i ər/
noun
1.
any of several breeds of usually small dogs, used originally to pursue game and drive it out of its hole or burrow.
2.
(initial capital letter) U.S. Military. a surface-to-air, two-stage antiaircraft missile.
Origin
1400-50; < Middle French, short for chien terrier literally, dog of the earth (< Medieval Latin terrārius; see terra, -ier2); so called because used to start badgers from their burrows; replacing late Middle English terrere < Anglo-French (see -er2)

terrier2

[ter-ee-er] /ˈtɛr i ər/
noun, Law.
1.
a book or document in which are described the site, boundaries, acreage, tenants, etc., of certain lands.
Origin
1470-80; < Middle French, short for registre terrier register of land (< Medieval Latin terrārius; see terra, -ier2); replacing earlier terrere < Anglo-French (see -er2

terry

[ter-ee] /ˈtɛr i/
noun, plural terries.
1.
the loop formed by the pile of a fabric when left uncut.
2.
Also called terry cloth. a pile fabric, usually of cotton, with loops on both sides, as in a Turkish towel.
adjective
3.
made of such a fabric:
a terry bathrobe.
4.
having the pile loops uncut:
terry velvet.
Origin
1775-85; perhaps variant of terret
Examples from the web for terrier
  • We had a little terrier and some of the rats were bigger than the dog.
  • On one moonlight night three wolves came round the stable, and the terrier sallied out promptly.
  • My bull terrier jumping into the swimming pool to recover her tennis ball.
  • For several minutes, the wolves performed a duet, whimpering as my terrier would in-between howls.
  • The cairn terrier quickly became popular and has remained so ever since.
  • The dandie dinmont terrier is the only breed to be named after a character in fiction.
British Dictionary definitions for terrier

terrier1

/ˈtɛrɪə/
noun
1.
any of several usually small, active, and short-bodied breeds of dog, originally trained to hunt animals living underground
Word Origin
C15: from Old French chien terrier earth dog, from Medieval Latin terrārius belonging to the earth, from Latin terra earth

terrier2

/ˈtɛrɪə/
noun
1.
(English legal history) a register or survey of land
Word Origin
C15: from Old French, from Medieval Latin terrārius of the land, from Latin terra land

Terrier

/ˈtɛrɪə/
noun
1.
(informal) a member of the British Army's Territorial and Volunteer Reserve

terry

/ˈtɛrɪ/
noun (pl) -ries
1.
an uncut loop in the pile of towelling or a similar fabric
2.
  1. a fabric with such a pile on both sides
  2. (as modifier): a terry towel
Word Origin
C18: perhaps variant of terret

Terry

/ˈtɛrɪ/
noun
1.
Dame Ellen. 1847–1928, British actress, noted for her Shakespearean roles opposite Sir Henry Irving and for her correspondence with George Bernard Shaw
2.
(John) Quinlan (ˈkwɪnlən). born 1937, British architect, noted for his works in neoclassical style, such as the Richmond riverside project (1984)
Word Origin and History for terrier
n.

mid-15c., from Old French chien terrier "terrier dog," literally "earth dog," from Medieval Latin terrarius "of earth," from Latin terra "earth" (see terrain). So called because the dogs pursue their quarry (foxes, badgers, etc.) into their burrows.

terry

n.

"loop raised in pile-weaving, left uncut," 1784, possibly an alteration of French tiré "drawn," from past participle of tirer "draw out" (cf. German gezogener Sammet "drawn velvet").

Related Abbreviations for terrier

terry

terry cloth