Hypertext Webster Gateway: "beaver"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
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.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Beaver \Bea"ver\, n. [OE. bever, AS. beofer, befer; akin to D.
bever, OHG. bibar, G. biber, Sw. b["a]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. ?253.
See {Brown}.]
1. (Zo["o]l.) An amphibious rodent, of the genus {Castor}.
Note: It has palmated hind feet, and a broad, flat tail. It
is remarkable for its ingenuity in constructing its
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}.
2. The fur of the beaver.
3. A hat, formerly made of the fur of the beaver, but now
usually of silk.
A brown beaver slouched over his eyes. --Prescott.
4. Beaver cloth, a heavy felted woolen cloth, used chiefly
for making overcoats.
{Beaver rat} (Zo["o]l.), an aquatic ratlike quadruped of
Tasmania ({Hydromys chrysogaster}).
{Beaver skin}, the furry skin of the beaver.
{Bank beaver}. See under 1st {Bank}.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
beaver
n 1: the soft brown fur of the beaver
2: a full beard
3: a man's hat with a tall crown; usually covered with beaver
or silk [syn: {dress hat}, {high hat}, {opera hat}, {silk
hat}, {stovepipe}, {top hat}, {topper}]
4: a movable piece of armor on a medieval helmet used to
protect the lower face
5: a hat made of beaver fur or similar material [syn: {castor}]
6: large semiaquatic rodent with webbed hind feet and a broad
flat tail; construct complex dams and underwater lodges
v : work hard on something [syn: {beaver away}]
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