- Beaver
- Beaver Bea"ver, n. [OE. bever, AS. beofer, befer; akin to D.
bever, OHG. bibar, G. biber, Sw. b["a]fver, Dan. b[ae]ver,
Lith. bebru, Russ. bobr', Gael. beabhar, Corn. befer, L.
fiber, and Skr. babhrus large ichneumon; also as an adj.,
brown, the animal being probably named from its color.
[root]253. See {Brown}.]
[1913 Webster]
1. (Zo["o]l.) An amphibious rodent, of the genus {Castor}.
[1913 Webster]
Note: It has palmated hind feet, and a broad, flat tail. It is remarkable for its ingenuity in constructing its lodges or ``houses,'' and dams across streams. It is valued for its fur, and for the material called {castor}, obtained from two small bags in the groin of the animal. The European species is {Castor fiber}, and the American is generally considered a variety of this, although sometimes called {Castor Canadensis}. [1913 Webster]
2. The fur of the beaver. [1913 Webster]
3. A hat, formerly made of the fur of the beaver, but now usually of silk. [1913 Webster]
A brown beaver slouched over his eyes. --Prescott. [1913 Webster]
4. Beaver cloth, a heavy felted woolen cloth, used chiefly for making overcoats. [1913 Webster]
5. A man's beard. [PJC]
6. The hair on a woman's pubic area; -- vulgar. [vulgar slang] [PJC]
7. A woman; -- vulgar and offensive. [vulgar slang] [PJC]
8. A person who works enthusiastically and diligently; -- used especially in the phrase {eager beaver}. [informal] [PJC]
{Beaver rat} (Zo["o]l.), an aquatic ratlike quadruped of Tasmania ({Hydromys chrysogaster}).
{Beaver skin}, the furry skin of the beaver.
{Bank beaver}. See under 1st {Bank}. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
