weasel

UK: /ˈwiːz^əl/ US: /ˈwizəl/ ,(wē′zəl)

Inflections of 'weasel' (n):

weasels

npl (All usages)

weasel

npl (Can be used as a collective plural—e.g. "There are a lot of weasel in these woods.")

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

wea•sel /ˈwizəl/   n. [countable] , pl. -sels, -sel. 

1. Mammals a small meat-eating animal having a long, slender body and short legs.

v. [~ + out of + object]

2. to evade an obligation or a situation:
   He weaseled out of helping us.

wea•sel•ly, adj. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

wea•sel  (wē′zəl), n., pl. -sels, (esp. collectively) -sel, v. 
n. 

1. Mammals any small carnivore of the genus Mustela, of the family Mustelidae, having a long, slender body and feeding chiefly on small rodents.
2. Mammals any of various similar animals of the family Mustelidae.
3. a cunning, sneaky person.
4. a tracked vehicle resembling a tractor, used in snow.
5. Slang Terms an informer;
   stool pigeon.

v.i. 

6. to evade an obligation, duty, or the like;
   renege (often fol. by out):
   That's one invitation I'd like to weasel out of.
7. to use weasel words;
   be ambiguous;
   mislead:
   Upon cross-examination the witness began to weasel.
8. [Slang.] to inform.

• bef. 900; 1920–25 for def. 6; Middle English wesele, Old English wesle, weosule; cognate with Old High German wisula, German Wiesel

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

weasel / ˈwiːz^əl/ noun ( -sels, -sel)

1. any of various small predatory musteline mammals of the genus Mustela and related genera, esp M. nivalis (European weasel), having reddish-brown fur, an elongated body and neck, and short legs
2. a sly or treacherous person

Etymology: Old English weosule, wesle; related to Old Norse visla, Old High German wisula, Middle Dutch wesel

ˈweaselly adjective