From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Beaver \Bea"ver\, n. [OE. bever, AS. beofer, befer; akin to D.
bever, OHG. bibar, G. biber, Sw. b[aum]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. (Zool.) 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.
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3. A hat, formerly made of the fur of the beaver, but now
usually of silk.
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A brown beaver slouched over his eyes. --Prescott.
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4. Beaver cloth, a heavy felted woolen cloth, used chiefly
for making overcoats.
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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} (Zool.), an aquatic ratlike quadruped of
Tasmania ({Hydromys chrysogaster}).
{Beaver skin}, the furry skin of the beaver.
{Bank beaver}. See under 1st {Bank}.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Beaver \Bea"ver\, n. [OE. baviere, bauier, beavoir, bever; fr.
F. bavi[`e]re, fr. bave slaver, drivel, foam, OF., prattle,
drivel, perh. orig. an imitative word. Bavi[`e]re, according
to Cotgrave, is the bib put before a (slavering) child.]
That piece of armor which protected the lower part of the
face, whether forming a part of the helmet or fixed to the
breastplate. It was so constructed (with joints or otherwise)
that the wearer could raise or lower it to eat and drink.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
beaver
n 1: the soft brown fur of the beaver [syn: {beaver}, {beaver
fur}]
2: a native or resident of Oregon [syn: {Oregonian}, {Beaver}]
3: a full beard
4: a man's hat with a tall crown; usually covered with silk or
with beaver fur [syn: {dress hat}, {high hat}, {opera hat},
{silk hat}, {stovepipe}, {top hat}, {topper}, {beaver}]
5: a movable piece of armor on a medieval helmet used to protect
the lower face
6: a hat made with the fur of a beaver (or similar material)
[syn: {beaver}, {castor}]
7: large semiaquatic rodent with webbed hind feet and a broad
flat tail; construct complex dams and underwater lodges
v 1: work hard on something [syn: {beaver}, {beaver away}]
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