WEASEL

I. noun (plural ~s) Etymology: Middle English wesele, from Old English weosule; akin to Old High German wisula ~ Date: before 12th century any of various small slender active carnivorous mammals (genus Mustela of the family Mustelidae, the ~ family) that are able to prey on animals (as rabbits) larger than themselves, are mostly brown with white or yellowish underparts, and in northern forms turn white in winter, a light self-propelled tracked vehicle built either for traveling over snow, ice, or sand or as an amphibious vehicle, a sneaky, untrustworthy, or insincere person, II. verb (~ed; ~ing) Etymology: ~ word Date: 1900 intransitive verb to use ~ words ; equivocate , to escape from or evade a situation or obligation, transitive verb to manipulate shiftily