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Civet vs Weasel - What's the difference?

civet | weasel |

As nouns the difference between civet and weasel

is that civet is a carnivorous catlike animal that produces a musky secretion. It is two to three feet long, with black bands and spots on the body and tail while weasel is the least weasel, Mustela nivalis.

As a verb weasel is

to achieve by clever or devious means.

civet

English

Noun

(wikipedia civet) (en noun)
  • A carnivorous catlike animal that produces a musky secretion. It is two to three feet long, with black bands and spots on the body and tail.
  • The musky perfume produced by the animal.
  • * 1599 ,
  • LEONATO. Indeed he looks younger than he did, by the loss of a beard.
    DON PEDRO. Nay, a' rubs himself with civet : can you smell him out by that?
    CLAUDIO. That's as much as to say the sweet youth's in love.

    Anagrams

    * ----

    weasel

    English

    Noun

    (wikipedia weasel) (en noun)
  • The least weasel, Mustela nivalis .
  • Any of the carnivorous mammals of the genus Mustela , having a slender body, a long tail and usually a light brown upper coat and light-coloured belly.
  • The taxonomic family Mustelidae is also called the weasel family.
  • A devious or sneaky person or animal.
  • A type of yarn winder used for counting the yardage of handspun yarn. It most commonly has a wooden peg or dowel that pops up from the gearing mechanism after a certain number of yards have been wound onto the winder.
  • Derived terms

    * short-tailed weasel * weaselly, weasely * weasel word

    Verb

  • To achieve by clever or devious means.
  • * 2010 (publication date), Tony Dajer, "Vital Signs", , ISSN 0274-7529, volume 32, number 1, January–February 2011, page 10:
  • Prisoners are notorious for weaseling day passes to get out of lockup.
  • (transitive, or, reflexive) To gain something for oneself by clever or devious means.
  • *
  • *
  • To engage in clever or devious behavior.
  • *
  • Usage notes

    * and weaselled are more common in the UK.

    Derived terms

    * weasel one's way * weasel out

    See also

    * ferret * mink * polecat * stoat