beetle · Contextualize

Etymology

From Middle English bitle, bityl, bytylle, from Old English bitula, bitela, bītel (“beetle”), from Proto-West Germanic *bitilō, *bītil, from Proto-Germanic *bitilô, *bītilaz (“that which tends to bite, biter, beetle”), equivalent to bite + -le. Cognate with Old High German bicco (“beetle”), Danish bille (“beetle”), Icelandic bitil, bitul (“a bite, bit”), Faroese bitil (“small piece, bittock”).

inherited from *bitilô✻
inherited from *bitilō✻
inherited from bitula
inherited from bitle

Definitions

Any of numerous species of insect in the order Coleoptera characterized by a pair of…
Any of numerous species of insect in the order Coleoptera characterized by a pair of hard, shell-like front wings which cover and protect a pair of rear wings when at rest.
2
A game of chance in which players attempt to complete a drawing of a beetle, different…
A game of chance in which players attempt to complete a drawing of a beetle, different dice rolls allowing them to add the various body parts.
- Guessing competitions were tackled with much enthusiasm, followed by a beetle drive, and judging by the laughter, this was popular with all.
3
Alternative letter-case form of Beetle (“car”).
- For quotations using this term, see Citations:beetle.
›+ 9 more definitionsshow fewer
1. 4
  To move (away) quickly, to scurry away.
  - He beetled off on his vacation.
  - I beetled across to our table, but no Pauline, no Mr Cresswell, no Mr Rudyard.
  - “[…] But he seems to have beetled off somewhere as usual. […]”
2. 5
  Protruding, jutting, overhanging.
  - beetle brows
3. 6
  To loom over
  To loom over; to extend or jut (above).
  - The heavy chimney beetled over the thatched roof.
  - To the dreadful summit of the cliff / That beetles o'er his base into the sea.
  - Each beetling rampart, and each tower sublime.
4. A type of mallet with a large wooden head, used to drive wedges, beat pavements, etc.
5. A machine in which fabrics are subjected to a hammering process while passing over…
  A machine in which fabrics are subjected to a hammering process while passing over rollers, as in cotton mills; a beetling machine.
6. To beat with a heavy mallet.
7. 10
  To finish by subjecting to a hammering process in a beetle or beetling machine.
  - to beetle cotton goods
8. 11
  Archaic spelling of betel.
  - Scatter black sand, and offer camphor, sandal, flowers, beetle-leaves, and all sorts of fragrance.
9. A small car, the Volkswagen Beetle (original version made 1938–2003, similar models made…
  A small car, the Volkswagen Beetle (original version made 1938–2003, similar models made 1997–2010 and since 2011).

The neighborhood

Derived

Alexander beetle, ambrosia beetle, ant beetle, ant nest beetle, Asian lady beetle, Asiatic beetle, asparagus beetle, Atlas beetle, bacon beetle, bark beetle, Beatles, bee beetle, beetle bank, beetlebrain, beetle brow, beetle-browed, beetle bug, beetle-crusher, beetle drive, beetle grass, beetlehead, beetle-headed, beetlelike, beetle mite, beetler, beetleskin, beetle-squasher, beetle-sticker, beetleweed, beetly, Bess beetle, Betsy beetle, bill-beetle, biscuit beetle, black beetle, black carpet beetle, blind as a beetle, blister beetle, bloody-nosed beetle, blue ground beetle · +161 more

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for beetle. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.