noun
- any of numerous insects of the order Coleoptera, characterized by hard, horny forewings that cover and protect the membranous flight wings.
- (loosely) any of various insects resembling the beetle, as a cockroach.
verb (used without object), bee·tled, bee·tling.
- Chiefly British. to move quickly; scurry: He beetled off to catch the train.
noun
- a heavy hammering or ramming instrument, usually of wood, used to drive wedges, force down paving stones, compress loose earth, etc.
- any of various wooden instruments for beating linen, mashing potatoes, etc.
verb (used with object), bee·tled, bee·tling.
- to use a beetle on; drive, ram, beat, or crush with a beetle.
- to finish (cloth) with a beetling machine.
adjective
- projecting; overhanging: beetle brows.
verb (used without object), bee·tled, bee·tling.
- to project; jut out; overhang: a cliff that beetles over the sea; his mustache and beetling brows; thick eyebrows beetling over blue eyes.
- to hang or tower over in a threatening or menacing manner: The prospect of bankruptcy beetled over him.
noun
- any insect of the order Coleoptera, having biting mouthparts and forewings modified to form shell-like protective elytraRelated adjective: coleopteran
- a game played with dice in which the players draw or assemble a beetle-shaped form
verb (intr ; foll by along, off, etc)
- informal to scuttle or scurry; hurry
noun
- a heavy hand tool, usually made of wood, used for ramming, pounding, or beating
- a machine used to finish cloth by stamping it with wooden hammers
verb (tr)
- to beat or pound with a beetle
- to finish (cloth) by means of a beetle
verb
- (intr) to overhang; jut
adjective
- overhanging; prominent
type of insect, Old English bitela “beetle,” literally “little biter,” from bitel “biting,” related to bitan “to bite” (see bite). As a nickname for the original Volkswagen car, 1946, translating German Käfer.
“project, overhang,” c.1600, back-formation from bitelbrouwed “grim-browed, sullen” (mid-14c.), from bitel “sharp-edged, sharp” (c.1200), probably a compound from Old English *bitol “biting, sharp,” related to bite, + brow, which in Middle English meant “eyebrow,” not “forehead.” Meaning “to overhang dangerously” (of cliffs, etc.) is from c.1600. Related: Beetled; beetling.
beating tool, Old English bietel, from Proto-Germanic *bautilo-z, from *bautan “to beat” (see beat (v.)).