Ferret



GRE 蓝宝 Barron

解释

GRE 红宝书

• n.雪貂; v.搜寻
• ［英］ v.搜寻 ( to search for persistently and discover)
• ［例］ I ferreted out some clues about his past by looking through his files.

Webster Collegiate

I. noun

• Etymology: Middle English furet, ferret, from Anglo-French firet, furet, from Vulgar Latin *furittus, literally, little thief, diminutive of Latin fur thief — more at furtive
• Date: 14th century
• 1.
  • a. a domesticated usually albino, brownish, or silver-gray animal (Mustela putorius furo) that is descended from the European polecat
  • b. black-footed ferret
• 2. an active and persistent searcher
• ? ferrety adjective

II. verb

• Date: 15th century
• intransitive verb
  • 1. to hunt with ferrets
  • 2. to search about
• transitive verb
  • 1.
    • a.
      • (1) to hunt (as rabbits) with ferrets
      • (2) to force out of hiding ; flush
    • b. to find and bring to light by searching — usually used with out<ferret out the answers>
  • 2. harry, worry
• ? ferreter noun

III. noun

• Etymology: probably modification of Italian fioretti floss silk, from plural of fioretto, diminutive of fiore flower, from Latin flor-, flos — more at blow
• Date: 1649
• a narrow cotton, silk, or wool tape — called also ferreting

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