A Topical Dictionary: Search for terrier

Dictionary Results For "terrier" [?]/[OPML]

Ads By Google

Wiktionary Articles [RSS] - [GNU, www.Wiktionary.org]

English

Etymology

From O.Fr. (Middle French) chien terrier "terrier dog", or literally "earth dog," from chien 'dog' + terrier#French|terrier (itself ultimately from terra 'earth')

Noun

terrier

A dog from a group of small, lively breeds, originally bred for the hunt on furred prey or vermin which digs a layer or burrow in the ground, such as rabbit, fox and various mice.

Derived terms

Translations

Dutch: terriër
French: terrier
German: Terrier
Russian: терьер /ter'jér/

References

----

French

Etymology

From M.L. terrarius "of earth," from terra "earth" Most terrier breeds were developed to hunt vermin both over and under the ground.

Pronunciation

An audio transcript can be found at Fr-terrier-ca-Montréal.ogg

Adjective

(female: terrière)

(archaic) relating to the ground, earth -, land -
enumerating seignorial rights, notably in livre terrier (such a register)

Noun

(plural terriers)

the layer or burrow which certain prey species, such as rabbits, dig in the ground
terrier, a breed of hunting dog fit to catch such prey even there
short for livre terrier (cfr. supra)

References

Category:Dogs

et:terrier fr:terrier io:terrier pl:terrier ru:terrier fi:terrier ta:terrier te:terrier vi:terrier tr:terrier

GNU Project's publication of CIDE, the Collaborative International Dictionary of English Terrier \Ter"ri*er\, n. [CF. L. terere to rub, to rub away,
terebra a borer.]
An auger or borer. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]

GNU Project's publication of CIDE, the Collaborative International Dictionary of English 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.] (Zool.) 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.
[1913 Webster]

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.
[1913 Webster]

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.]
[1913 Webster]

GNU Project's publication of CIDE, the Collaborative International Dictionary of English Dog \Dog\ (d[add]g or d[o^]g), n. [AS. docga; akin to D. dog
mastiff, Dan. dogge, Sw. dogg.]
1. (Zool.) A quadruped of the genus Canis, esp. the
domestic dog (Canis familiaris).

Note: The dog is distinguished above all others of the
inferior animals for intelligence, docility, and
attachment to man. There are numerous carefully bred
varieties, as the akita, beagle, bloodhound,
bulldog, coachdog, collie, Danish dog,
foxhound, greyhound, mastiff, pointer,
poodle, St. Bernard, setter, spaniel, spitz,
terrier, German shepherd, pit bull, Chihuahua,
etc. There are also many mixed breeds, and partially
domesticated varieties, as well as wild dogs, like the
dingo and dhole. (See these names in the Vocabulary.)
[1913 Webster +PJC]

2. A mean, worthless fellow; a wretch.
[1913 Webster]

What is thy servant, which is but a dog, that he
should do this great thing? -- 2 Kings
viii. 13 (Rev.
Ver. )
[1913 Webster]

3. A fellow; -- used humorously or contemptuously; as, a sly
dog; a lazy dog. [Colloq.]
[1913 Webster]

4. (Astron.) One of the two constellations, Canis Major and
Canis Minor, or the Greater Dog and the Lesser Dog. Canis
Major contains the Dog Star (Sirius).
[1913 Webster]

5. An iron for holding wood in a fireplace; a firedog; an
andiron.
[1913 Webster]

6. (Mech.)
(a) A grappling iron, with a claw or claws, for fastening
into wood or other heavy articles, for the purpose of
raising or moving them.
(b) An iron with fangs fastening a log in a saw pit, or on
the carriage of a sawmill.
(c) A piece in machinery acting as a catch or clutch;
especially, the carrier of a lathe, also, an
adjustable stop to change motion, as in a machine
tool.
[1913 Webster]

7. an ugly or crude person, especially an ugly woman. [slang]
[PJC]

8. a hot dog. [slang]
[PJC]

Note: Dog is used adjectively or in composition, commonly in
the sense of relating to, or characteristic of, a dog.
It is also used to denote a male; as, dog fox or g-fox,
a male fox; dog otter or dog-otter, dog wolf, etc.; --
also to denote a thing of cheap or mean quality; as,
dog Latin.
[1913 Webster]

A dead dog, a thing of no use or value. --1 Sam. xxiv. 14.

A dog in the manger, an ugly-natured person who prevents
others from enjoying what would be an advantage to them
but is none to him.

Dog ape (Zool.), a male ape.

Dog cabbage, or Dog's cabbage (Bot.), a succulent herb,
native to the Mediterranean region ({Thelygonum
Cynocrambe}).

Dog cheap, very cheap. See under Cheap.

Dog ear (Arch.), an acroterium. [Colloq.]

Dog flea (Zool.), a species of flea (Pulex canis) which
infests dogs and cats, and is often troublesome to man. In
America it is the common flea. See Flea, and
Aphaniptera.

Dog grass (Bot.), a grass (Triticum caninum) of the same
genus as wheat.

Dog Latin, barbarous Latin; as, the dog Latin of pharmacy.

Dog lichen (Bot.), a kind of lichen (Peltigera canina)
growing on earth, rocks, and tree trunks, -- a lobed
expansion, dingy green above and whitish with fuscous
veins beneath.

Dog louse (Zool.), a louse that infests the dog, esp.
H[ae]matopinus piliferus; another species is
Trichodectes latus.

Dog power, a machine operated by the weight of a dog
traveling in a drum, or on an endless track, as for
churning.

Dog salmon (Zool.), a salmon of northwest America and
northern Asia; -- the gorbuscha; -- called also holia,
and hone.

Dog shark. (Zool.) See Dogfish.

Dog's meat, meat fit only for dogs; refuse; offal.

Dog Star. See in the Vocabulary.

Dog wheat (Bot.), Dog grass.

Dog whelk (Zool.), any species of univalve shells of the
family Nassid[ae], esp. the Nassa reticulata of
England.

To give to the dogs, or To throw to the dogs, to throw
away as useless. "Throw physic to the dogs; I'll none of
it." --Shak.

To go to the dogs, to go to ruin; to be ruined.
[1913 Webster]

WordNet terrier
n : any of several usually small short-bodied breeds originally
trained to hunt animals living underground

TERRIER, Eng. law. A roll, catalogue or survey of lands, belonging either to a single person or a town, in which are stated the quantity of, acres, the names of the tenants, and the like. 2. By the ecclesiastical law an inquiry is directed to be made from time to time, of the temporal rights of the clergyman of every parish, and to be returned into the registry of the bishop: this return is denominated a terrier. 1 Phil. & Am. Ev. 602, 603.