burrow

UK: /ˈbʌrəʊ/ US: /ˈbɜroʊ, ˈbʌroʊ/ ,(bûr′ō, bur′ō)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

bur•row /ˈbɜroʊ, ˈbʌroʊ/   n. 

[countable]
1. Animal Behavior a hole or tunnel in the ground made by an animal:
   The rabbit reached its burrow.

v. 

2. to dig a burrow (into): [no object]
   He burrowed into the ground.
   [~ + object]
   The rabbit burrowed its way down through the ground.
3. to move or proceed by or as if by digging:
   [no object] She burrowed under the covers.

bur•row•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

bur•row  (bûr′ō, bur′ō), n. 

1. Animal Behavior a hole or tunnel in the ground made by a rabbit, fox, or similar animal for habitation and refuge.
2. a place of retreat;
   shelter or refuge.

v.i. 

3. to make a hole or passage in, into, or under something.
4. to lodge in a burrow.
5. to hide.
6. to proceed by or as if by digging.

v.t. 

7. Animal Behavior to put a burrow into (a hill, mountainside, etc.).
8. to hide (oneself ), as in a burrow.
9. to make by or as if by burrowing:
   We burrowed our way through the crowd.

• 1325–75; Middle English borow, earlier burh, apparently gradational variant of late Middle English beri burrow, variant of earlier berg refuge, Old English gebeorg, derivative of beorgan to protect; akin to Old English burgen grave, i.e., place of protection for a body; see bury

bur′row•er, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

burrow / ˈbʌrəʊ/ noun

1. a hole or tunnel dug in the ground by a rabbit, fox, or other small animal, for habitation or shelter
2. a small snug place affording shelter or retreat

verb

1. to dig (a burrow) in, through, or under (ground)
2. (intransitive) often followed by through: to move through by or as by digging
3. (intransitive) to hide or live in a burrow
4. (intransitive) to delve deeply: he burrowed into his pockets
5. to hide (oneself)

Etymology: 13th Century: probably a variant of borough

ˈburrower noun