beetle

beetle
I. noun Etymology: Middle English betylle, from Old English bitula; akin to bītan to bite Date: before 12th century 1. any of an order (Coleoptera) of insects having four wings of which the outer pair are modified into stiff elytra that protect the inner pair when at rest 2. any of various insects resembling a beetle II. intransitive verb (beetled; beetling) Date: circa 1919 to scurry like a beetle <
editors beetled around the office
>
III. noun Etymology: Middle English betel, from Old English bīetel; akin to Old English bēatan to beat Date: before 12th century 1. a heavy wooden hammering or ramming instrument 2. a wooden pestle or bat for domestic tasks IV. adjective Etymology: Middle English bitel-browed having overhanging brows, probably from betylle, bitel beetle Date: 14th century being prominent and overhanging <
beetle brows
>
V. intransitive verb (beetled; beetling) Date: 1602 project, jut <
to scale the beetling crags — R. L. Stevenson
>

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • beetle — beetle1 [bēt′ l] n. [ME bitil < OE bitela < bītan, BITE] 1. any of a large order (Coleoptera) of insects, including weevils, with biting mouthparts and hard front wings (elytra) that cover the membranous hind wings when the hind wings are… …   English World dictionary

  • Beetle — Bee tle, n. [OE. bityl, bittle, AS. b[imac]tel, fr. b[imac]tan to bite. See {Bite}, v. t.] Any insect of the order Coleoptera, having four wings, the outer pair being stiff cases for covering the others when they are folded up. See {Coleoptera}.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Beetle — Bee tle (b[=e] t l), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Beetled} ( t ld); p. pr. & vb. n. {Beetling}.] 1. To beat with a heavy mallet. [1913 Webster] 2. To finish by subjecting to a hammering process in a beetle or beetling machine; as, to beetle cotton goods …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Beetle — steht für VW New Beetle, Automodell von Oktober 1997 bis Juli 2010 VW Beetle, Nachfolgermodell voraussichtlich ab Herbst 2011 erhältlich Diese Seite ist eine Begriffsklärung zur Unterscheidung mehrerer mit demselben Wort bezeichneter Begriffe …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Beetle — Bee tle, v. i. [See {Beetlebrowed}.] To extend over and beyond the base or support; to overhang; to jut. [1913 Webster] To the dreadful summit of the cliff That beetles o er his base into the sea. Shak. [1913 Webster] Each beetling rampart, and… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Beetle — Bee tle (b[=e] t l), n. [OE. betel, AS. b[=i]tl, b?tl, mallet, hammer, fr. be[ a]tan to beat. See {Beat}, v. t.] 1. A heavy mallet, used to drive wedges, beat pavements, etc. [1913 Webster] 2. A machine in which fabrics are subjected to a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Beetle — also Bug informal AmE a small car made by Volkswagen which has a high, rounded top. It was first produced in the 1930s …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • beetle — vb overhang, jut, project, *bulge, protuberate, protrude, stick out Analogous words: menace, *threaten …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • beetle — ► NOUN ▪ an insect with the forewings modified into hard wing cases that cover the hindwings and abdomen. ► VERB informal ▪ hurry along with short, quick steps. ORIGIN Old English, «biter» …   English terms dictionary

  • Beetle — Beetles redirects here. For the band, see The Beatles. For the car, see Volkswagen Beetle. This article is about the insect. For other uses, see Beetle (disambiguation). Beetle Temporal range: 318–0 Ma …   Wikipedia

  • beetle — beetle1 /beet l/, n., v., beetled, beetling. n. 1. any of numerous insects of the order Coleoptera, characterized by hard, horny forewings that cover and protect the membranous flight wings. 2. (loosely) any of various insects resembling the… …   Universalium

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