Definition of 'beaver'

Word Frequency

beaver

(biːvəʳ )

Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense beavers , present participle beavering , past tense, past participle beavered

1. countable noun

A beaver is a furry animal with a big flat tail and large teeth. Beavers use their teeth to cut wood and build dams in rivers.

2. uncountable noun

Beaver is the fur of a beaver.

...a coat with a huge beaver collar.

Phrasal verbs:

beaver away

Image of 'beaver'

Word Frequency

beaver in British 1

(ˈbiːvə )

noun

a large amphibious rodent, Castor fiber, of Europe, Asia, and North America: family Castoridae. It has soft brown fur, a broad flat hairless tail, and webbed hind feet, and constructs complex dams and houses (lodges) in rivers

the fur of this animal

3. mountain beaver

a tall hat of beaver fur or a fabric resembling it, worn, esp by men, during the 19th century

a woollen napped cloth resembling beaver fur, formerly much used for overcoats, etc

a greyish- or yellowish-brown colour

7. obsolete

a full beard

a bearded man

9. (modifier)

having the colour of beaver or made of beaver fur or some similar material

a beaver lamb coat

a beaver stole

verb

10. (intransitive; usually foll by away)

to work industriously or steadily

Word origin of 'beaver'

Old English beofor; compare Old Norse biōrr, Old High German bibar, Latin fiber, Sanskrit babhrú red-brown

Word Frequency

beaver in British 2

(ˈbiːvə )

noun

a movable piece on a medieval helmet used to protect the lower part of the face

Word origin of 'beaver'

C15: from Old French baviere, from baver to dribble

Word Frequency

beaver in British 3

(ˈbiːvə )

noun US vulgar, slang

the female genitals

2. offensive

a woman considered sexually

Word origin of 'beaver'

C20: origin unknown

Word Frequency

Beaver in British

(ˈbiːvə )

noun

a member of a Beaver Colony, the youngest group of boys (aged 6–8 years) in the Scout Association

Word Frequency

beaver in American 1

(ˈbivər ; bēˈvər)

noun

a. Word forms: plural ˈbeavers or ˈbeaver

any of a family (Castoridae) of large rodents with soft, brown fur, chisel-like teeth, webbed hind feet, and a flat, broad tail: they often gnaw trees down and build canals and dams to form beaver ponds in which they build dry, dome-shaped, island lodges having underwater entrances

its fur

a man's high silk hat, originally made of this fur

a heavy cloth of felted wool, used for overcoats, etc.

4. US, Slang

the female genitals

often considered vulgar

adjective

5. US, Slang

designating or of a film, photograph, etc. in which the female genitals are exposed

often considered vulgar

verb intransitive

6. US

to work hard, constantly, conscientiously, etc.

usually with away

Word origin of 'beaver'

ME bever < OE beofor: for IE base see bear2

Word Frequency

beaver in American 2

(ˈbivər ; bēˈvər)

noun

a movable piece of armor on the lower part of a medieval helmet, for protecting the mouth and chin

later, the visor of a helmet

Word origin of 'beaver'

ME bavier < OFr baviere, beaver of a helmet, orig., bib < baver, to drivel < bave, saliva, foam

Word Lists

Habitations, fauna, hat, rodent

Trends of 'beaver'

Used Occasionally. beaver is one of the 30000 most commonly used words in the Collins dictionary

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Translations for 'beaver'

British English: beaver /ˈbiːvə/ NOUN

A beaver is a furry animal like a large rat with a big flat tail.

American English: beaver
Arabic: قُنْدُس
Brazilian Portuguese: castor
Chinese: 海狸
Croatian: dabar
Czech: bobr
Danish: bæver
Dutch: bever
European Spanish: castor
Finnish: majava
French: castor
German: Biber
Greek: κάστορας
Italian: castoro
Japanese: ビーバー
Korean: 비버
Norwegian: bever
Polish: bóbr
European Portuguese: castor
Romanian: castor
Russian: бобр
Spanish: castor
Swedish: bäver
Thai: สัตว์ครึ่งบกครึ่งน้ำคล้ายนาก
Turkish: kunduz
Ukrainian: бобер
Vietnamese: con hải ly

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Nearby words of 'beaver'

Related Terms of 'beaver'

Source

Definition of beaver from the Collins English Dictionary

Irregular verbs

Irregular verbs are verbs that do not form the past simple tense and the past participle by adding -ed to the base form. The three main groups of irregular verbs In Group A, the base form, the past...