ANIMAL

(CREATURE) [noun] [C] - a living creature, not a plant, which has any or all of the five senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch, and which can move all or part of its bodyHumans, insects, reptiles, birds and mammals are all animals.Animals are distinguished from plants by obtaining their nourishment from other living organisms or their remains.People often forget that humans are animals, as are sponges and jellyfish.I wouldn't really call myself an animal lover but I do quite like dogs.See picture: AnimalsAnimal often means an animal with four legs.I like animals, but I hate slimy things like fish and snakes.A lion is a wild animal, a dog is a domestic animal and a pig is a farm animal.Surveys show that animal welfare has recently become a major concern for many schoolchildren.A militant group of animal-rights activists has claimed responsibility for a firebomb attack on the home of a prominent scientist.You can also say that a person who is very cruel or unpleasant or has no social manners is an animal.He becomes an animal when he's had too much to drink.You can also say that someone or something is a particular type of animal to show what they are like.She is a political animal at heart.She is that rare animal (= she has qualities or interests that are not usually found together), a brilliant scientist who can communicate her ideas to ordinary people.Feminism in France and England are rather different animals (= are different).(humorous) A video-recorder that's easy to programme? There's no such animal (= Such a thing does not exist)!(specialized) Animal husbandry is the farming of animals to produce foods such as meat, eggs and milk.The animal kingdom is the group of all living creatures that are animals.