Hypertext Webster Gateway: "terrier"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Terrier \Ter"ri*er\, n. [CF. L. terere to rub, to rub away,
terebra a borer.]
An auger or borer. [Obs.]
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Terrier \Ter"ri*er\, n.
1. [F. terrier, chien terrier, from terre the earth, L.
terra; cf. F. terrier a burrow, LL. terrarium a hillock
(hence the sense, a mound thrown up in making a burrow, a
burrow). See {Terrace}, and cf. {Terrier}, 2.] (Zo["o]l.)
One of a breed of small dogs, which includes several
distinct subbreeds, some of which, such as the Skye
terrier and Yorkshire terrier, have long hair and drooping
ears, while others, at the English and the black-and-tan
terriers, have short, close, smooth hair and upright ears.
Note: Most kinds of terriers are noted for their courage, the
acuteness of their sense of smell, their propensity to
hunt burrowing animals, and their activity in
destroying rats, etc. See {Fox terrier}, under {Fox}.
2. [F. terrier, papier terrier, LL. terrarius liber, i.e., a
book belonging or pertaining to land or landed estates.
See {Terrier}, 1, and cf. {Terrar}.] (Law)
(a) Formerly, a collection of acknowledgments of the
vassals or tenants of a lordship, containing the rents
and services they owed to the lord, and the like.
(b) In modern usage, a book or roll in which the lands of
private persons or corporations are described by their
site, boundaries, number of acres, or the like.
[Written also {terrar}.]
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
terrier
n : any of several usually small short-bodied breeds originally
trained to hunt animals living underground
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