English noun: ferret | |||
1. | ferret (animal) musteline mammal of prairie regions of United States; nearly extinct | ||
Synonyms | black-footed ferret, Mustela nigripes | ||
Broader (hypernym) | mustelid, musteline, musteline mammal | ||
Member meronym | genus Mustela, Mustela | ||
2. | ferret (animal) domesticated albino variety of the European polecat bred for hunting rats and rabbits | ||
Broader (hypernym) | fitch, foulmart, foumart, Mustela putorius, polecat | ||
English verb: ferret | |||
1. | ferret (motion) hound or harry relentlessly | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something. Somebody ----s somebody | ||
Broader (hypernym) | hound, hunt, trace | ||
2. | ferret (competition) hunt with ferrets | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s. Somebody ----s something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | hunt, hunt down, run, track down | ||
3. | ferret (cognition) search and discover through persistent investigation | ||
Samples | She ferreted out the truth. | ||
Synonyms | ferret out | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something. Somebody ----s that CLAUSE | ||
Broader (hypernym) | discover, find | ||