*squir*

See Chipmunk. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. escuyer, escuier, properly, a shield-bearer, F. écuyer shield-bearer, armor-bearer, squire of a knight, esquire, equerry, rider, horseman, LL. scutarius shield-bearer, fr. L. scutum shield, akin to Gr. &unr_; skin, hide, from a root meaning to cover; prob. akin to E. hide to cover. See Hide to cover, and cf. Equerry, Escutcheon. ] Originally, a shield-bearer or armor-bearer, an attendant on a knight; in modern times, a title of dignity next in degree below knight and above gentleman; also, a title of office and courtesy; -- often shortened to squire. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In England, the title of esquire belongs by right of birth to the eldest sons of knights and their eldest sons in perpetual succession; to the eldest sons of younger sons of peers and their eldest sons in perpetual succession. It is also given to sheriffs, to justices of the peace while in commission, to those who bear special office in the royal household, to counselors at law, bachelors of divinity, law, or physic, and to others. In the United States the title is commonly given in courtesy to lawyers and justices of the peace, and is often used in the superscription of letters instead of Mr. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Esquired p. pr. & vb. n. Esquiring. ] To wait on as an esquire or attendant in public; to attend. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

(Zool.) One of a group of squirrels, of the genus Glaucomys (formerly Pteromus and Sciuropterus [ 1913 Webster ]), especially Glaucomys volans and Glaucomys sabrinus, having parachute-like folds of skin extending from the fore to the hind legs, which enable them to make very long, gliding leaps. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

☞ The species of Pteromys are large, with bushy tails, and inhabit southern Asia and the East Indies; those of Sciuropterus are smaller, with flat tails, and inhabit the northern parts of Europe, Asia, and America. The American species (Sciuropterus volucella) is also called Assapan. The Australian flying squirrels, or flying phalangers, are marsupials. See Flying phalanger (above). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A common black-striped reddish-brown ground squirrel (Citellus lateralis) of western North America, resembling a large chipmunk. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

(Zool.) An ascidian. See Illust. under Tunicata. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To throw with a jerk; to throw edge foremost. [ Obs. ] [ Written also squirr. ] Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Same as Squirarchy. [ 1913 Webster ]

That such weight and influence be put thereby into the hands of the squiralty of my kingdom. Sterne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Squire + -arch. ] One who belongs to the squirarchy. -- Squir"arch*al a. [1913 Webster]

n. [ Squire + -archy. ] The gentlemen, or gentry, of a country, collectively. [ Written also squirearchy. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. esquierre, F. équerre. See Square, n. ] A square; a measure; a rule. [ Obs. ] “With golden squire.” Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Aphetic form of esquire. ] 1. A shield-bearer or armor-bearer who attended a knight. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A title of dignity next in degree below knight, and above gentleman. See Esquire. [ Eng. ] “His privy knights and squires.” Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A male attendant on a great personage; also (Colloq.), a devoted attendant or follower of a lady; a beau. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A title of office and courtesy. See under Esquire. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. squired p. pr. & vb. n. squiring. ] 1. To attend as a squire. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To attend as a beau, or gallant, for aid and protection; as, to squire a lady. [ Colloq. ] Goldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who is half squire and half farmer; -- used humorously. [ Eng. ] C. Kingsley. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The rank or state of a squire; squireship. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A petty squire. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. & adv. Becoming a squire; like a squire. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Squirehood. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Squirmed p. pr. & vb. n. Squirming. ] [ Cf. Swarm to climb a tree. ] To twist about briskly with contortions like an eel or a worm; to wriggle; to writhe. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. See Squir. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. squirel, OF. esquirel, escurel, F. écureuil, LL. squirelus, squirolus, scuriolus, dim. of L. sciurus, Gr. si`oyros; skia` shade + o'yra` tail. Cf. Shine, v. i. ] 1. (Zool.) Any one of numerous species of small rodents belonging to the genus Sciurus and several allied genera of the family Sciuridae. Squirrels generally have a bushy tail, large erect ears, and strong hind legs. They are commonly arboreal in their habits, but many species live in burrows. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Among the common North American squirrels are the gray squirrel (Sciurus Carolinensis) and its black variety; the fox, or cat, squirrel (Sciurus cinereus, or Sciurus niger) which is a large species, and variable in color, the southern variety being frequently black, while the northern and western varieties are usually gray or rusty brown; the red squirrel (see Chickaree); the striped, or chipping, squirrel (see Chipmunk); and the California gray squirrel (Sciurus fossor). Several other species inhabit Mexico and Central America. The common European species (Sciurus vulgaris) has a long tuft of hair on each ear. The so-called Australian squirrels are marsupials. See Petaurist, and Phalanger. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One of the small rollers of a carding machine which work with the large cylinder. [ 1913 Webster ]

Barking squirrel (Zool.), the prairie dog. --
Federation squirrel (Zool.), the striped gopher. See Gopher, 2. --
Flying squirrel (Zool.). See Flying squirrel, in the Vocabulary. --
Java squirrel. (Zool.). See Jelerang. --
Squirrel corn (Bot.), a North American herb (Dicentra Canadensis) bearing little yellow tubers. --
Squirrel cup (Bot.), the blossom of the Hepatica triloba, a low perennial herb with cup-shaped flowers varying from purplish blue to pink or even white. It is one of the earliest flowers of spring. --
Squirrel fish. (Zool.) (a) A sea bass (Serranus fascicularis) of the Southern United States. (b) The sailor's choice (Diplodus rhomboides). (c) The redmouth, or grunt. (d) A market fish of Bermuda (Holocentrum Ascensione). --
Squirrel grass (Bot.), a pestiferous grass (Hordeum murinum) related to barley. In California the stiffly awned spikelets work into the wool of sheep, and into the throat, flesh, and eyes of animals, sometimes even producing death. --
Squirrel hake (Zool.), a common American hake (Phycis tenuis); -- called also white hake. --
Squirrel hawk (Zool.), any rough-legged hawk; especially, the California species Archibuteo ferrugineus. --
Squirrel monkey. (Zool.) (a) Any one of several species of small, soft-haired South American monkeys of the genus Callithrix. They are noted for their graceful form and agility. See Teetee. (b) A marmoset. --
Squirrel petaurus (Zool.), a flying phalanger of Australia. See Phalanger, Petaurist, and Flying phalanger under Flying. --
Squirrel shrew (Zool.), any one of several species of East Indian and Asiatic insectivores of the genus Tupaia. They are allied to the shrews, but have a bushy tail, like that of a squirrel. --
Squirrel-tail grass (Bot.), a grass (Hordeum jubatum) found in salt marshes and along the Great Lakes, having a dense spike beset with long awns. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Squirted; p. pr. & vb. n. Squirting. ] [ Cf. LG. swirtjen to squirt, OSw. sqvätta, E. squander. ] To drive or eject in a stream out of a narrow pipe or orifice; as, to squirt water. [ 1913 Webster ]

The hard-featured miscreant coolly rolled his tobacco in his cheek, and squirted the juice into the fire grate. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

Squirting cucumber. (Bot.) See Ecballium. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To be thrown out, or ejected, in a rapid stream, from a narrow orifice; -- said of liquids. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence, to throw out or utter words rapidly; to prate. [ Low ] L'Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. An instrument out of which a liquid is ejected in a small stream with force. Young. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A small, quick stream; a jet. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Hydrodynamics) The whole system of flow in the vicinity of a source. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

4. a youngster. [ PJC ]

5. a short, overly assertive, or impudent person, especially when young; -- used in contempt. [ PJC ]

n. One who, or that which, squirts. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Squiery. ] The body of squires, collectively considered; squirarchy. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The flower of chivalry and squiry. Ld. Berners. [ 1913 Webster ]