weasel

wea*sel

noun

{bc}any of various small slender active carnivorous mammals (genus {it}Mustela{/it} of the family Mustelidae, the weasel family) that are able to prey on animals (such as rabbits) larger than themselves, are mostly brown with white or yellowish underparts, and in northern forms turn white in winter {dx}compare {dxt|ermine||1a}{/dx}

weasel

verb

{bc}to use weasel words {bc}{sx|equivocate||}

weasel word

noun

{bc}a word used in order to evade or retreat from a direct or forthright statement or position

weasel into

phrasal verb

{bc}to get into (a place or situation) by being dishonest, by persuading someone in a clever way, etc.

weasel out of

phrasal verb

{bc}to avoid doing (something) by being dishonest, by persuading someone in a clever way, etc.

bridled weasel

noun

{bc}{sx|long-tailed weasel||}

least weasel

noun

{bc}a small {d_link|weasel|weasel:1} (Mustela nivalis) of northern North America, Eurasia, and northern Africa that is brown above and white below in summer and in its northern range usually all white in winter, that ranges in length from 6 to 10 inches (15.2 to 25.4 centimeters) including a tail that is usually 1 to 2.5 inches (2.5 to 6.4 centimeters) long, and that lacks the black-tipped tail found in the related {d_link|short-tailed weasel|short-tailed weasel} and {d_link|long-tailed weasel|long-tailed weasel}

long-tailed weasel

noun

{bc}a common {d_link|weasel|weasel:1} ({it}Mustela frenata{/it}) found from southern Canada to northern South America often near water that is an aggressive carnivore feeding chiefly on rodents and other small mammals, is brown above and white to yellowish below in summer and in its northern range usually white in winter, and ranges in length from 15 to 23 inches (38 to 58.4 centimeters) long including a black-tipped tail that is usually 3 u00bd to 6 u00bd (9 to 16.5 centimeters) inches long

short-tailed weasel

noun

{bc}the common {d_link|ermine|ermine} ({it}Mustela erminea{/it}) chiefly of northern Eurasia and North America that is brown above and white below in summer and in its northern range all white in winter and that ranges from 9 to 15 inches (23 to 38 centimeters) in length including a black-tipped tail that is usually 1 u00bd to 3 u00bd inches (3.8 to 9 centimeters) long {bc}{sx|ermine||1a}, {sx|stoat||}