Word of the Day

: June 5, 2010

ferret

verb FAIR-ut

What It Means

1 : to hunt game with ferrets

2 : to drive out of a hiding place

3 : to find and bring to light by searching -- usually used with out

ferret in Context

The program was intended to ferret out inefficiency in the state's pension programs.

Did You Know?

Since the 14th century, English speakers have used "ferret" as the name of a small domesticated animal of the weasel family. The word came to us by way of Anglo-French and can be traced back to Latin "fur," meaning "thief." These days ferrets are often kept as pets, but prior to that they were typically used to hunt rabbits, rats, and other vermin, and to drive them from their underground burrows. By the 15th century, the verb "ferret" was being used of the action of hunting with ferrets. By the late 16th century, the verb had taken on figurative uses as well. Today, we most frequently encounter the verb "ferret" in the sense of "to find and bring to light by searching."