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What is the difference between weasel and otter?

weasel | otter |

As nouns the difference between weasel and otter

is that weasel is the least weasel, Mustela nivalis while otter is any aquatic or marine carnivorous mammal, member of the family Mustelidae, which also includes weasels, polecats, badgers, and others.

As a verb weasel

is to achieve by clever or devious means.

As a proper noun Otter is

a river whose source in the Blackdown Hills, Somerset, and which flows into Lyme Bay in English Channel.

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

    otter

    English

    (wikipedia otter)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) (m), from (etyl) . More etymology under English water.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Any aquatic or marine carnivorous mammal, member of the family Mustelidae , which also includes weasels, polecats, badgers, and others.
  • (gay slang) A hairy man with a slender physique, in contrast with a bear, who is more broadly set
  • Derived terms
    * otterless * otterish * otterlike * ottery * sea otter

    Etymology 2

    Noun

    (-)
  • (obsolete) Annatto.
  • (Webster 1913)

    Anagrams

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