squirrl.html - n. & v.
--n.

1 any rodent of the family Sciuridae, e.g. the red squirrel, grey squirrel, etc., often of arboreal habits, with a bushy tail arching over its back, and pointed ears.
2 the fur of this animal.
3 a person who hoards objects, food, etc.

--v.

(squirrelled, squirrelling; US squirreled, squirreling)
1 tr. (often foll. by away) hoard (objects, food, time, etc.) (squirrelled it away in the cupboard).
2 intr. (often foll. by around) bustle about.

squirrel cage 1 a small cage containing a revolving cylinder like a treadmill, on which a captive squirrel may exercise.
2 a form of rotor used in small electric motors, resembling the cylinder of a squirrel cage.
3 a monotonous or repetitive way of life. squirrel (or squirrel-tail) grass a grass, Hordeum jubatum, with bushy spikelets. squirrel-monkey a small yellow-haired monkey, Saimiri sciureus, native to S. America. [ME f. AF esquirel, OF esquireul, ult. f. L sciurus f. Gk skiouros f. skia shade + oura tail]

squirrl.html - adj.
1 like a squirrel.
2 a inclined to bustle about. b (of a person) unpredictable, nervous, demented.

squirrl.html - n. & v.
--n.

1 a country gentleman, esp. the chief landowner in a country district.
2 hist. a knight's attendant.
3 Brit. colloq. a jocular form of address to a man.
4 US a magistrate or lawyer.
5 Austral. a young snapper fish.

--v.

tr. (of a man) attend upon or escort (a woman).

squiredom n. squirehood n. squirelet n. squireling n. squirely adj. squireship n. [ME f. OF esquier ESQUIRE]

squirrl.html - n.
a member of the squirearchy.

squirearchical adj. (also squirarchical). [back-form. f. SQUIREARCHY, after MONARCH]

squirrl.html - n.
(also squirarchy) (pl. -ies) landowners collectively, esp. as a class having political or social influence; a class or body of squires. [SQUIRE, after HIERARCHY etc.]

squirrl.html - n.
Brit. the owner of a small landed property esp. in Ireland.