n. & v.
--n. (pl. wolves)
1. a wild flesh-eating tawny-grey mammal related to the dog, esp. Canis lupus, preying on sheep etc. and hunting in packs.
2 sl. a man given to seducing women.
3 a rapacious or greedy person.
4 Mus. a a jarring sound from some notes in a bowed instrument. b an out-of-tune effect when playing certain chords on old organs (before the present 'equal temperament' was in use).
--v.tr. (often foll. by down) devour (food) greedily.
Phrases and idioms:
cry wolf raise repeated false alarms (so that a genuine one is disregarded). have (or hold) a wolf by the ears be in a precarious position. keep the wolf from the door avert hunger or starvation. lone wolf a person who prefers to act alone. throw to the wolves sacrifice without compunction. wolf-cub
1. a young wolf.
2 Brit. the former name for a Cub Scout. wolf-fish any large voracious blenny of the genus Anarrhichas. wolf in sheep's clothing a hostile person who pretends friendship. wolf-pack an attacking group of submarines or aircraft. wolf's-milk spurge. wolf-spider any ground-dwelling spider of the family Lycosidae, hunting instead of trapping its prey. wolf-whistle n. a sexually admiring whistle by a man to a woman.
--v.intr. make a wolf-whistle.
Derivatives:
wolfish adj. wolfishly adv. wolflike adj. & adv.
Etymology: OE wulf f. Gmc