beagle en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈbiːɡəl/
- [ˈb̥iːɡəɫ]
- (Southern-England) audio
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English *begel (attested in the plural begles), of uncertain origin. Possibly from Middle French beegueule (“one who keeps their mouth open”), whence modern French bégueule (“a colloquial insult said to women of low status and accused of stupidity, who always have their mouths gaped or open; a prude”); from Old French beer, bayer (“to gape, gawk”) + Old French gueule (“gullet”). The modern French bigle (“beagle”) however is a borrowing from the English. Alternatively, a modification of Middle English bedel (“beadle”) in the sense of "constable, detective". The change of /t/, /d/ to /k/, /ɡ/ before /l/ is common; compare hurkle, variant of hurtlen (“to hurtle”), and in Modern English, huckleberry, turkle (“turtle”), and stickle.
Meanings
- A small short-legged smooth-coated scenthound, often tricolored and sometimes used for hunting hares. Its friendly disposition makes it suitable as a family pet.
-
A person who snoops on others; a detective.
[…]whereas burying a body in the wooded area beyond the backyard was the quickest way to make a Nassau County Police Department beagle look good.
2002, Susan Isaacs, Long Time No See, page 243:
- A bailiff.
- A small kind of shark.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| beagles | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
bagle hound · beaglier · beaglepuss · poogle · puggle · bagle · beagler · beagador · beabull · Beagle Channel · legal beagle
Translations (34)
ja ビーグル (small short-legged smooth-coated scenthound, often tricolored and sometimes used for hunting hares or as a family pet) · fi beagle (small short-legged smooth-coated scenthound, often tricolored and sometimes used for hunting hares or as a family pet) · sv beagle (small short-legged smooth-coated scenthound, often tricolored and sometimes used for hunting hares or as a family pet) · bg зайчар (small short-legged smooth-coated scenthound, often tricolored and sometimes used for hunting hares or as a family pet) · hu beagle (small short-legged smooth-coated scenthound, often tricolored and sometimes used for hunting hares or as a family pet) · nl speurneus (snooping person) · hu rendőrspicli (snooping person) · ko 비글 (small short-legged smooth-coated scenthound, often tricolored and sometimes used for hunting hares or as a family pet) · ru го́нчая (small short-legged smooth-coated scenthound, often tricolored and sometimes used for hunting hares or as a family pet) · cs bígl (small short-legged smooth-coated scenthound, often tricolored and sometimes used for hunting hares or as a family pet) · bg доносник (snooping person) · ga pocadán beag (small short-legged smooth-coated scenthound, often tricolored and sometimes used for hunting hares or as a family pet) · cy corhelgi (small short-legged smooth-coated scenthound, often tricolored and sometimes used for hunting hares or as a family pet) · sk bígl (small short-legged smooth-coated scenthound, often tricolored and sometimes used for hunting hares or as a family pet) · hu rendőrkém (snooping person) · fr briquet (small short-legged smooth-coated scenthound, often tricolored and sometimes used for hunting hares or as a family pet) · cmn 獵兔犬 /猎兔犬 (small short-legged smooth-coated scenthound, often tricolored and sometimes used for hunting hares or as a family pet) · hu rendőrkopó (snooping person) · pl beagle (small short-legged smooth-coated scenthound, often tricolored and sometimes used for hunting hares or as a family pet) · hu vadászkopó (small short-legged smooth-coated scenthound, often tricolored and sometimes used for hunting hares or as a family pet) · pl wścibska osoba (snooping person) · mk за́јчар (small short-legged smooth-coated scenthound, often tricolored and sometimes used for hunting hares or as a family pet) · hu kopó (small short-legged smooth-coated scenthound, often tricolored and sometimes used for hunting hares or as a family pet) · nl snuffelaar (snooping person) · es beagle (small short-legged smooth-coated scenthound, often tricolored and sometimes used for hunting hares or as a family pet) · tl aso (small short-legged smooth-coated scenthound, often tricolored and sometimes used for hunting hares or as a family pet) · ms anjing beagle (small short-legged smooth-coated scenthound, often tricolored and sometimes used for hunting hares or as a family pet) · pt beagle (small short-legged smooth-coated scenthound, often tricolored and sometimes used for hunting hares or as a family pet) · id siberat (snooping person) · hu besúgó (snooping person) · hu spicli (snooping person) · nl beagle (small short-legged smooth-coated scenthound, often tricolored and sometimes used for hunting hares or as a family pet) · fi nuuskija (snooping person) · ga pocadán (small short-legged smooth-coated scenthound, often tricolored and sometimes used for hunting hares or as a family pet)