Word: fox Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *púḱsos Proto-Germanic *fuhsaz Old English fox Middle English fox English fox From Middle English fox, from Old English fox (“fox”), from Proto-West Germanic *fuhs, from Proto-Germanic *fuhsaz (“fox”), from Proto-Indo-European *púḱsos (“the tailed one”), possibly from *puḱ- (“tail”). Cognate with Scots fox (“fox”), North Frisian foos, fos (“fox”), Saterland Frisian Foaks (“fox”), West Frisian foks (“fox”), Dutch vos (“fox”), Low German vos (“fox”), German Fuchs (“fox”), Icelandic fóa (“fox”), Tocharian B päkā (“tail, chowrie”), Russian пух (pux, “down, fluff”), Sanskrit पुच्छ (púccha) (whence Torwali پوش (pūš, “fox”), Hindi पूंछ (pūñch, “tail”)). Philosophical sense from the 1953 essay The Hedgehog and the Fox by Isaiah Berlin. Military aviation sense from the pre-NATO military spelling alphabet where Fox represented F and was short for 'to fire'. Pronunciation: /fɒks/, /fɔks/, /fɑks/, [fɔ̟ks] 1. A small-to-medium-sized canine mammal, related to dogs and wolves, with a flattened skull, upright triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail, of the following groups: Labels: countable, uncountable Example: A group of foxes is called a skulk. 2. A small-to-medium-sized canine mammal, related to dogs and wolves, with a flattened skull, upright triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail, of the following groups: Labels: countable, uncountable Example: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. Example: The fox went out on a chase one night, / he prayed to the Moon to give him light, / for he had many a mile to go that night / before he reached the town-o, town-o, town-o. / He had many a mile to go that night / before he reached the town-o. 3. A small-to-medium-sized canine mammal, related to dogs and wolves, with a flattened skull, upright triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail, of the following groups: Labels: countable, uncountable 4. The fur of a fox. Labels: uncountable 5. A fox terrier. Labels: countable, uncountable 6. A flying fox. Labels: Australia, countable, uncountable Example: Their screeches heralded excited talk from the hurrying troops, for flying fox is a delicacy. The densely-foliaged trees hedged a sombre pool, deep and quiet. As the slain foxes dropped into the water the snouts of river crocodiles popped up and devoured them. 7. The gemmeous dragonet, a fish, Callionymus lyra, so called from its yellow color. Labels: countable, uncountable 8. A cunning person. Labels: countable, figuratively, uncountable Example: As for thee, false friend, subtle fox, unfaithful servant, this long time am I grown weary of thee slinking up and down my palace devising darkly things I know not: thou, that art nought akin to Witchland, but an outlander, a Goblin exile, a serpent warmed in my bosom to my hurt. 9. A physically attractive person, typically a woman. Labels: countable, figuratively, slang, uncountable Example: And Jerry was cute, you know, I liked him, but Frank was a total fox. And he was rougher than Jerry, you know, not so cultured. Example: It wasn't just that Jayne was a fox – although, fuck, was she ever a fox. That arse, those tits, those lips. They could have a really good time together. 10. A person with reddish brown hair, typically a woman. Labels: countable, figuratively, slang, uncountable 11. A small strand of rope made by twisting several rope-yarns together. Used for seizings, mats, sennits, and gaskets. Labels: countable, uncountable 12. A wedge driven into the split end of a bolt to tighten it. Labels: countable, uncountable 13. A hidden radio transmitter, finding which is the goal of radiosport. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: Locating a hidden transmitter (the fox) has been a popular ham activity for many years. 14. The fourteenth Lenormand card. Labels: countable, uncountable 15. A sword; so called from the stamp of a fox on the blade, or perhaps of a wolf taken for a fox. Labels: countable, obsolete, uncountable Example: Thou diest on point of fox. 16. Air-to-air weapon launched. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: Got a lock! Fox, Fox! 17. Someone who fuses many different influences and concepts in their philosophy or worldview. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: Austin was patiently and painstakingly concerned with truth within limitations. He was a hedgehog, not a fox. Example: Dewey was a hedgehog rather than a fox; he spent his life trying to articulate and restate a single vision, and in the writings of his third decade he already exhibits the tension I have claimed to find in the later writings.