beetle

UK: 'beetle', 'Beetle': /ˈbiːt^əl/ US: /ˈbitəl/ ,(bēt′l)

Inflections of 'beetle' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

beetles

v 3rd person singular

beetling

v pres p

beetled

v past

beetled

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

bee•tle¹ /ˈbitəl/   n. 

[countable]
1. Insects an insect having hard, horny front wings that cover and protect the wings used for flight.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

bee•tle¹  (bēt′l), n., v., -tled, -tling. 
n. 

1. Insects any of numerous insects of the order Coleoptera, characterized by hard, horny forewings that cover and protect the membranous flight wings.
2. Insects (loosely) any of various insects resembling the beetle, as a cockroach.

v.i. 

3. British Terms [Chiefly Brit.] to move quickly;
   scurry:
   He beetled off to catch the train.

• late Middle English betylle, bityl, Old English bitela (bitel- biting (bit- bite + -el adjective, adjectival suffix) + -a noun, nominal suffix) bef. 900

bee•tle²  (bēt′l), n., v., -tled, -tling. 
n. 

1. Building a heavy hammering or ramming instrument, usually of wood, used to drive wedges, force down paving stones, compress loose earth, etc.
2. Building any of various wooden instruments for beating linen, mashing potatoes, etc.

v.t. 

3. Building to use a beetle on;
   drive, ram, beat, or crush with a beetle.
4. Textiles to finish (cloth) with a beetling machine.

• Middle English betel, Old English bētl, bȳtel hammer (cognate with Middle Low German bētel chisel), equivalent. to bē(a)t- beat + -il noun, nominal suffix bef. 900

bee′tler, n. 

bee•tle³  (bēt′l), adj., v., -tled, -tling. 
adj. 

1. projecting;
   overhanging:
   beetle brows.

v.i. 

2. to project;
   jut out;
   overhang:
   a cliff that beetles over the sea.
3. to hang or tower over in a threatening or menacing manner:
   The prospect of bankruptcy beetled over him.

• 1325–75; Middle English; back formation from beetle-browed

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

beetle / ˈbiːt^əl/ noun

1. any insect of the order Coleoptera, having biting mouthparts and forewings modified to form shell-like protective elytra
2. a game played with dice in which the players draw or assemble a beetle-shaped form

verb (intr; followed by along, off, etc)

1. to scuttle or scurry; hurry

Etymology: Old English bitela; related to bitol teeth, bit, bītan to bite

beetle / ˈbiːt^əl/ noun

1. a heavy hand tool, usually made of wood, used for ramming, pounding, or beating
2. a machine used to finish cloth by stamping it with wooden hammers

Etymology: Old English bīetel, from bēatan to beat; related to Middle Low German bētel chisel, Old Norse beytill penis

beetle / ˈbiːt^əl/ verb

1. (intransitive) to overhang; jut

adjective

1. overhanging; prominent

Etymology: 14th Century: perhaps related to beetle¹

ˈbeetling adjective