weasel

Meanings

Noun

• The least weasel, Mustela nivalis.
• Any of the carnivorous mammals of the genus Mustela, having a slender body, a long tail and usually a light brown upper coat and light-coloured belly.
• The taxonomic family Mustelidae is also called the weasel family.
• A devious or sneaky person or animal.
• A type of yarn winder used for counting the yardage of handspun yarn. It most commonly has a wooden peg or dowel that pops up from the gearing mechanism after a certain number of yards have been wound onto the winder.

Verb

• To achieve by clever or devious means.
• To gain something for oneself by clever or devious means.
• To engage in clever or devious behavior.

Related

Similar words

• mustela

Narrower meaning words

• least weasel
• mountain weasel
• short-tailed weasel
• Siberian weasel

Origin

• From Middle English wesele, from Old English weosule, from Proto-West Germanic *wisulā, from Proto-Germanic *wisulǭ. The verb comes from the supposed cunningness of the weasel.