wolf

wolf
wolf [woolf]
n.
pl. wolves [woolvz] [ME < OE wulf, akin to Ger wolf, ON ulfr, Goth wulfs < IE base * wḷp-, * lup-, name of animals of prey > L lupus, Gr lykos]
1.
a) any of various wild canine carnivores (genus Canis), esp. the gray wolf, widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere: domestic dogs are thought to be descended from wolves
b) the fur of a wolf
2.
a) a fierce, cruel, or greedy person
☆ b) Slang a man who flirts aggressively with many women
3.
a) the dissonance of some chords on an organ, piano, etc. that has been tuned in a system of unequal temperament; also, a chord in which such dissonance is heard
b) an unsteadiness or breaking of certain tones in instruments of the violin group, due to faulty vibration
vt.
wolfed, wolfing
to eat ravenously, as a wolf does: often with down
——————
cry wolf
to give a false alarm
——————
keep the wolf from the door
to provide the necessities of life in sufficient quantity to prevent privation
——————
wolf in sheep's clothing
a person who hides malicious intent under a benign manner: see Matt. 7:15

English World dictionary. . 2014.

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  • WOLF — WOLF, U.S. family of communal leaders with branches in Philadelphia and Washington. The brothers ELIAS WOLF (1820–after 1881) and ABRAHAM and LEVI WOLF (1811–1893) were born in Bavaria and emigrated to the United States. Elias Wolf arrived about… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • wolf — O.E. wulf, from P.Gmc. *wulfaz (Cf. O.S. wulf, O.N. ulfr, O.Fris., Du., O.H.G., Ger. wolf, Goth. wulfs), from PIE *wlqwos/*lukwos, from root *wlp /*lup (Cf. Skt. vrkas, Avestan vehrka ; Albanian ulk; O.C.S. vluku; Rus …   Etymology dictionary

  • Wolf — Wolf: Der gemeingerm. Tiername mhd., ahd. wolf, got. wulfs, engl. wolf, schwed. ulv beruht mit verwandten Wörtern in anderen idg. Sprachen auf idg. *u̯l̥ko s »Wolf«, vgl. z. B. lat. lupus »Wolf«, griech. lýkos »Wolf«. Das idg. Wort ist… …   Das Herkunftswörterbuch

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