From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Urchin \Ur"chin\ ([^u]"ch[i^]n), n. [OE. urchon, irchon, a
hedgehog, OF. ire[,c]on, eri[,c]on, heri[,c]on, herichon, F.
h['e]risson, a derivative fr. L. ericius, from er a hedgehog,
for her; akin to Gr. chh`r. Cf. {Herisson}.]
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1. (Zool.) A hedgehog.
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2. (Zool.) A sea urchin. See {Sea urchin}.
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3. A mischievous elf supposed sometimes to take the form a
hedgehog. "We 'll dress [them] like urchins, ouphes, and
fairies." --Shak.
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4. A pert or roguish child; -- now commonly used only of a
boy.
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And the urchins that stand with their thievish eyes
Forever on watch ran off each with a prize. --W.
Howitt.
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You did indeed dissemble, you urchin you; but
where's the girl that won't dissemble for an
husband? --Goldsmith.
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5. One of a pair in a series of small card cylinders,
arranged around a carding drum; -- so called from its
fancied resemblance to the hedgehog. --Knight.
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{Urchin fish} (Zool.), a diodon.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Urchin \Ur"chin\, a.
Rough; pricking; piercing. [R.] "Helping all urchin blasts."
--Milton.
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From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
urchin
n 1: poor and often mischievous city child
From The Jargon File (version 4.4.7, 29 Dec 2003) [jargon]:
urchin
n.
See {munchkin}.
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