■ noun ( plural wolves )
1》 a carnivorous mammal which is the largest member of the dog family, living and hunting in packs. [ Canis lupus .]
↘used in names of similar or related mammals, e.g. Tasmanian ~ .
2》 a rapacious or ferocious person.
↘ informal a man who habitually seduces women.
3》 an out-of-tune effect produced when playing particular notes or intervals on a musical instrument, caused either by the instrument's construction or by divergence from equal temperament.
■ verb (usu. ~ something down ) devour (food) greedily.
Phrases
cry ~ raise repeated false alarms, so that a real cry for help is ignored. [with allusion to the fable of the shepherd boy who deluded people with false cries of ‘Wolf!’]
hold (or have ) a ~ by the ears be in a precarious position.
keep the ~ from the door have enough money to avert hunger or destitution.
throw someone to the wolves sacrifice someone so as to avert trouble for oneself.
a ~ in sheep's clothing a person who appears friendly but is really hostile. [with biblical allusion to Matt. 7:15.]
Derivatives
~ish adjective
~ishly adverb
~-like adjective
Origin
OE wulf , of Gmc origin.