beaver
1
[ bee-ver ]
/ ˈbi vər /
noun, plural bea·vers, (especially collectively) bea·ver for 1.
verb (used without object)
British.
to work very hard or industriously at something (usually followed by away).
Origin of beaver
1
before 1000; Middle English
bever, Old English
beofor, befor; cognate with German
Biber, Lithuanian
bebrùs, Latin
fiber, Sanskrit
babhrús reddish brown, large ichneumon
usage note for beaver
Beaver as a term for a woman is perceived as insulting because it refers to the female in sexual terms. However, in the 1970s, it was CB radio slang, neutral in connotation and even used by women themselves as a term of self-reference.
OTHER WORDS FROM beaver
bea·ver·like, bea·ver·ish, adjectiveWords nearby beaver
Definition for beaver (2 of 2)
beaver
2
[ bee-ver ]
/ ˈbi vər /
noun Armor.
a piece of plate armor for covering the lower part of the face and throat, worn especially with an open helmet, as a sallet or basinet.
Compare buffe, wrapper(def 7).
a piece of plate armor, pivoted at the sides, forming part of a close helmet below the visor or ventail.
Origin of beaver
2
1400–50; late Middle English
bavier, bavour < Middle French
baviere (Old French: bib), equivalent to
bave spit, dribble +
-iere < Latin
-āria, feminine of
-ārius
-ary; alteration of vowel in the initial syllable is unexplained
Example sentences from the Web for beaver
British Dictionary definitions for beaver (1 of 3)
beaver
1
/ (ˈbiːvə) /
noun
verb
(intr usually foll by away)
to work industriously or steadily
Word Origin for beaver
Old English
beofor; compare Old Norse
biōrr, Old High German
bibar, Latin
fiber, Sanskrit
babhrú red-brown
British Dictionary definitions for beaver (2 of 3)
beaver
2
/ (ˈbiːvə) /
noun
a movable piece on a medieval helmet used to protect the lower part of the face
Word Origin for beaver
C15: from Old French
baviere, from
baver to dribble
British Dictionary definitions for beaver (3 of 3)
Beaver
/ (ˈbiːvə) /
noun
a member of a Beaver Colony, the youngest group of boys (aged 6–8 years) in the Scout Association
Idioms and Phrases with beaver
beaver
see busy as a beaver; eager beaver; work like a beaver.