I. fur 1 /fɜː $ fɜːr/ BrE AmE noun
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Origin: fur 'to cover the inside of with fur' (14-19 centuries) , from Old French forrer , from forre 'inside covering' ]
1 . [uncountable] the thick soft hair that covers the bodies of some animals, such as cats, dogs, and rabbits ⇨ ↑ furry (1)
2 .
[uncountable and countable] the skin of a dead animal with the fur still attached:
a fur coat
a fur-lined jacket
a ban on fur farming (=keeping and killing animals for their fur)
3 . [countable] a coat or piece of clothing made of fur:
Lady Yolanda was swathed in elegant furs.
4 . [uncountable] a material that looks and feels like fur
imitation/fake/artificial etc fur
a pair of gloves trimmed with fake fur
5 . [uncountable] a harmful or unpleasant substance that sometimes forms on surfaces that are always wet, such as water pipes SYN scale
6 . the fur flies used to say that an angry argument or fight starts:
If you’re both feeling frustrated, the fur may fly.
II. fur 2 BrE AmE ( also fur up British English ) verb ( past tense and past participle furred , present participle furring ) [intransitive]
to become covered with an unwanted substance
—furred adjective :
Symptoms include dry lips and a furred tongue.