gopher 1
/goh"feuhr/ , n.
1. any of several ground squirrels of the genus Citellus, of the prairie regions of North America.
2. See pocket gopher .
3. See gopher tortoise .
4. See gopher snake .
5. ( cap. ) a native or inhabitant of Minnesota (used as a nickname).
v.i.
6. Mining.
a. to mine unsystematically.
b. to enlarge a hole, as in loose soil, with successively larger blasts.
[ 1785-95; earlier megopher, magopher gopher tortoise; of obscure orig.; sp. copies GOPHER WOOD ]
gopher 2
/goh"feuhr/ , n. Slang.
gofer.
[ 1925-30; resp. of GOFER by assoc. with GOPHER 1 ]