Seal \Seal\ (s[=e]l), n. [OE. sele, AS. seolh; akin to OHG.
selah, Dan. sael, Sw. sj[aum]l, Icel. selr.] (Zool.)
Any aquatic carnivorous mammal of the families Phocidae and
Otariidae.
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Note: Seals inhabit seacoasts, and are found principally in
the higher latitudes of both hemispheres. There are
numerous species, bearing such popular names as sea
lion, sea leopard, sea bear, or ursine seal,
fur seal, and sea elephant. The bearded seal
(Erignathus barbatus), the hooded seal (Cystophora
cristata), and the ringed seal (Phoca foetida), are
northern species. See also Eared seal, Harp seal,
Monk seal, and Fur seal, under Eared, Harp,
Monk, and Fur. Seals are much hunted for their
skins and fur, and also for their oil, which in some
species is very abundant.
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Harbor seal (Zool.), the common seal (Phoca vitulina). It
inhabits both the North Atlantic and the North Pacific
Ocean, and often ascends rivers; -- called also marbled
seal, native seal, river seal, bay seal, land
seal, sea calf, sea cat, sea dog, dotard,
ranger, selchie, tangfish.
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Weever \Wee"ver\, n. [Probably from F. vive, OF. vivre, a kind
of fish, L. vipera viper. Cf. Viper.] (Zool.)
Any one of several species of edible marine fishes belonging
to the genus Trachinus, of the family Trachinidae. They
have a broad spinose head, with the eyes looking upward. The
long dorsal fin is supported by numerous strong, sharp spines
which cause painful wounds.
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Note: The two British species are the great, or greater,
weever (Trachinus draco), which becomes a foot long
(called also gowdie, sea cat, stingbull, and
weaverfish), and the lesser weever (Trachinus
vipera), about half as large (called also otter
pike, and stingfish).
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Wolf \Wolf\, n.; pl. Wolves. [OE. wolf, wulf, AS. wulf; akin
to OS. wulf, D. & G. wolf, Icel. [=u]lfr, Sw. ulf, Dan. ulv,
Goth. wulfs, Lith. vilkas, Russ. volk', L. lupus, Gr. ly`kos,
Skr. v[.r]ka; also to Gr. "e`lkein to draw, drag, tear in
pieces. [root]286. Cf. Lupine, a., Lyceum.]
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1. (Zool.) Any one of several species of wild and savage
carnivores belonging to the genus Canis and closely
allied to the common dog. The best-known and most
destructive species are the European wolf (Canis lupus),
the American gray, or timber, wolf (Canis occidentalis),
and the prairie wolf, or coyote. Wolves often hunt in
packs, and may thus attack large animals and even man.
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2. (Zool.) One of the destructive, and usually hairy, larvae
of several species of beetles and grain moths; as, the bee
wolf.
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3. Fig.: Any very ravenous, rapacious, or destructive person
or thing; especially, want; starvation; as, they toiled
hard to keep the wolf from the door.
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4. A white worm, or maggot, which infests granaries.
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5. An eating ulcer or sore. Cf. Lupus. [Obs.]
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If God should send a cancer upon thy face, or a wolf
into thy side. --Jer. Taylor.
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6. (Mus.)
(a) The harsh, howling sound of some of the chords on an
organ or piano tuned by unequal temperament.
(b) In bowed instruments, a harshness due to defective
vibration in certain notes of the scale.
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7. (Textile Manuf.) A willying machine. --Knight.
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Black wolf. (Zool.)
(a) A black variety of the European wolf which is common
in the Pyrenees.
(b) A black variety of the American gray wolf.
Golden wolf (Zool.), the Thibetan wolf (Canis laniger);
-- called also chanco.
Indian wolf (Zool.), an Asiatic wolf (Canis pallipes)
which somewhat resembles a jackal. Called also landgak.
Prairie wolf (Zool.), the coyote.
Sea wolf. (Zool.) See in the Vocabulary.
Strand wolf (Zool.) the striped hyena.
Tasmanian wolf (Zool.), the zebra wolf.
Tiger wolf (Zool.), the spotted hyena.
To keep the wolf from the door, to keep away poverty; to
prevent starvation. See Wolf, 3, above. --Tennyson.
Wolf dog. (Zool.)
(a) The mastiff, or shepherd dog, of the Pyrenees,
supposed by some authors to be one of the ancestors of
the St. Bernard dog.
(b) The Irish greyhound, supposed to have been used
formerly by the Danes for chasing wolves.
(c) A dog bred between a dog and a wolf, as the Eskimo
dog.
Wolf eel (Zool.), a wolf fish.
Wolf fish (Zool.), any one of several species of large,
voracious marine fishes of the genus Anarrhichas,
especially the common species (Anarrhichas lupus) of
Europe and North America. These fishes have large teeth
and powerful jaws. Called also catfish, sea cat, sea
wolf, stone biter, and swinefish.
Wolf net, a kind of net used in fishing, which takes great
numbers of fish.
Wolf's peach (Bot.), the tomato, or love apple
(Lycopersicum esculentum).
Wolf spider (Zool.), any one of numerous species of running
ground spiders belonging to the genus Lycosa, or family
Lycosidae. These spiders run about rapidly in search of
their prey. Most of them are plain brown or blackish in
color. See Illust. in App.
Zebra wolf (Zool.), a savage carnivorous marsupial
(Thylacinus cynocephalus) native of Tasmania; -- called
also Tasmanian wolf.
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