called also ferreting
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Ferret as a Verb
Since the 14th century, English speakers have used ferret as the name of a small, slinky, domesticated mammal of the weasel family. The word came to us by way of Anglo-French and can be traced back to the Latin word fur, meaning "thief." These days ferrets are often kept as pets, but previously they were used to hunt rabbits, rats, and other vermin, and to drive them from their underground burrows. By the 15th century, the verb ferret was being used for the action of hunting with ferrets. By the late 16th century, the verb had taken on figurative uses as well. Today, we most frequently encounter the verb ferret in the sense of "to find and bring to light by searching."
Synonyms
Examples of ferret in a Sentence
Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 19 Nov. 2024
But ferret legging was a clearly unacceptable treatment of sentient beings.
—Lisa Chase, Outside Online, 14 Aug. 2024
Francine Russo, Scientific American, 5 Apr. 2023
Training camp and the preseason games should ferret that out for the 49ers’ roster.
—Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 18 July 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Ferret.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ferret. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
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ferret
1 of 2 noun
ferret
2 of 2 verb
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