burrow
pronunciation
How to pronounce burrow in British English:
UK [ˈbʌrəʊ]
How to pronounce burrow in American English:
US [ˈbɜroʊ]
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- Noun:
- a hole in the ground made by an animal for shelter
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- Verb:
- move through by or as by digging
Word Origin
- burrow
- burrow: see borough
- burrow (n.)
- "rabbit-hole, fox-hole, etc.," c. 1300, borewe, from Old English burgh "stronghold, fortress" (see borough); influenced by bergh "hill," and berwen "to defend, take refuge."
- burrow (v.)
- c. 1600, "to place in a burrow, from burrow (n.). Figuratively (such as to burrow (one's) head) by 1862. Intransitive sense, "to bore one's way into, penetrate" is from 1610s, originally figurative (literal sense, of animals, attested by 1771). Related: Burrowed; borrowing.
Example
- 1. Groundhogs spend the winter hibernating in a specially dug hibernation burrow , their breathing and heartbeats slowed to a snail 's pace , their body temperatures not too far above freezing .
- 2. Marine scientists measure its abundance by dragging a sledge equipped with video cameras along the seabed and counting the number of holes ( a well-maintained burrow being the sign of a happy prawn ) .
- 3. The researchers could thus put three females into a burrow and allow them to compete yet , by ensuring that only one of those females had mated with a fertile male , they could be sure that all the grubs in a burrow were hers .