Definition of 'fur'

Word Frequency

fur

(fɜːʳ )

Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense, plural furs , present participle furring, past tense, past participle furred

1. variable noun

Fur is the thick and usually soft hair that grows on the bodies of many mammals.

This creature's fur is short, dense and silky.

Synonyms: coat, hair, skin, hide More Synonyms of fur

2. variable noun [oft NOUN noun]

Fur is the fur-covered skin of an animal that is used to make clothing or small carpets.

She had on a black coat with a fur collar.

...the trading of furs from Canada.

3. countable noun

A fur is a coat made from real or artificial fur, or a piece of fur worn round your neck.

There were women in furs and men in comfortable overcoats.

4. variable noun

Fur is an artificial fabric that looks like fur and is used, for example, to make clothing, soft toys, and seat covers.

See fur fly

Phrasal verbs:

See fur up

Video: pronunciation of
fur

fur in British English

(fɜː )

noun

the dense coat of fine silky hairs on such mammals as the cat, seal, and mink

the dressed skin of certain fur-bearing animals, with the hair left on

(as modifier)

a fur coat

a garment made of fur, such as a coat or stole

a pile fabric made in imitation of animal fur

a garment made from such a fabric

5. heraldry

any of various stylized representations of animal pelts or their tinctures, esp ermine or vair, used in coats of arms

6. informal

a whitish coating of cellular debris on the tongue, caused by excessive smoking, an upset stomach, etc

7. British

a whitish-grey deposit consisting chiefly of calcium carbonate precipitated from hard water onto the insides of pipes, boilers, and kettles

8. make the fur fly

verbWord forms: furs, furring or furred

9. (transitive)

to line or trim a garment, etc, with fur

10. (often foll by up)

to cover or become covered with a furlike lining or deposit

11. (transitive)

to clothe (a person) in a fur garment or garments

Derived forms

furless (ˈfurless)

adjective

Word origin

C14: from Old French forrer to line a garment, from fuerre sheath, of Germanic origin; related to Old English fōdder case, Old Frisian fōder coat lining

Word Frequency

fur. in British English

abbreviation for

furlong

Word Frequency

fur in American English 1

(fɜr )

noun

the soft, thick hair covering the body of many mammals

a skin bearing such hair, when stripped and processed for making, lining, or trimming garments; dressed pelt

any garment, neckpiece, trimming, etc. made of such skins

any furlike or fuzzy coating, as diseased matter on the tongue in illness

adjective

of or having to do with fur

verb transitiveWord forms: furred or ˈfurring

to line, cover, make, or trim with fur

to coat with any smooth, furlike deposit

to use furring in constructing (a floor, wall, etc.)

verb intransitive

to become coated with a deposit

Idioms:

make the fur fly

Word origin

ME furre, prob. contr. < furrure, fur lining or blanket OFr fourrure < fuerre, sheath, lining < Frank *fodr, akin to Ger futter < IE base *po-, to tend flocks, cover, protect > Gr poimēn, Sans pālá-, shepherd

Word Frequency

fur in American English 2

furlong(s)

Example sentences including
fur

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…

And they were already parading round in fur coats!How about one with an extravagant winged fur collar, worn over a ballgown? Shoppers are being duped into buying real animal fur when they think it is faux fur, according to a report.Over it she has on an enormous army parka, lined with pink fur, which makes her look very small. Instead he gave her a debit card, bought her a white fur coat and rented a flat for her in Kiev.The first task was to get into the suit, which costs around 800 and is made using the finest fake fur.From bombers to blazers and faux fur to denim, the new season is the perfect excuse to treat yourself to a new cover-up.It's a world away from the woman who once arrived at her own birthday party wearing just a bikini, fur coat and snorkel.There is no suggestion either firm knowingly passed off real fur as fake.This is a cheap method of production used for carpets and fur fabrics.