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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

hedgehog en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • /ˈhɛd͡ʒ.hɔɡ/ (General-American)
  • /ˈɛd͡ʒ.ɒɡ/ h-dropping
  • (Australia) audio
  • /ˈhɛd͡ʒ.hɒɡ/

Etymology

From Middle English heyghoge; equivalent to hedge + hog. Eclipsed non-native Middle English yrchoun, irchoun (“hedgehog”), from Old French hirchoun, herichon (“hedgehog”); and displaced earlier Middle English il, from Old English īl, iġil (“hedgehog”). In the philosophical sense, from the 1953 essay The Hedgehog and the Fox by Isaiah Berlin. Compare typologically Korean 고슴도치 (goseumdochi) (<<+ Middle Korean 돝 (twoth, “pig, swine”)).

Meanings

  1. A small mammal of the subfamily Erinaceinae, characterized by their spiny back and often by the habit of rolling up into a ball when attacked, native to Afro-Eurasia.
    • Among the Romans the genital organ of the hedgehog and the wolf were among the ingredients used in aphrodisiac concoctions. 1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 152:
    • [L]ike Hedg-hogs vvhich / Lye tumbling in my bare-foote vvay, and mount / Their pricks at my foot-fall: ſometime am I / All vvound vvith Adders, vvho vvith clouen tongues / Doe hiſſe me into madneſſe: […] 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii], page 9, column 1:
  2. (US) Any of several spiny mammals, such as the porcupine, that are similar to the hedgehog.
  3. (abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis) Ellipsis of Czech hedgehog (“an antitank obstacle constructed from three steel rails”).
    • Ukrainian civilians have been DIY-ing hedgehogs, welding two bars or beams at an angle to make a cross and then adding a third to ensure it holds its shape even if it's knocked over. 2022 March 21, Bill Chappell, “SWIFT, hedgehog, MiG: Here's a guide to the terms of war in Ukraine”, in SPECIAL SERIES: Ukraine invasion — explained, NPR, retrieved 21 Mar 2022:
  4. (historical, informal) A spigot mortar-type of depth charge weapon from World War II that simultaneously fires a number of explosives into the water to create a pattern of underwater explosions intended to attack submerged submarines.
  5. (Australia) A type of chocolate cake (or slice), somewhat similar to an American brownie.
    • His wife had made a hedgehog cake and he offered some but Murphy refused – his mouth was so dry with terror he couldn′t swallow. 2009, Adam Shand, The Skull: Informers, Hit Men and Australia's Toughest Cop, page 199:
    • 2005, Paul Mitchell, The Favourite, Frank Moorhouse, The Best Australian Stories 2005, page 145, There are hedgehogs with sultanas as well as breadcrumbs, carrot cakes and fruitcakes and banana walnut loaves.
    • I am so flustered that I order a vanilla slice instead of hedgehog. 2008, Lili Wilkinson, The Not Quite Perfect Boyfriend, unnumbered page:
  6. A form of dredging machine.
    • The first machines merely loosened, but did not raise the stuff, a scouring being afterwards effected by means of sluices. These machines consisted of large bars or prongs placed vertically in a frame, and being fastened to a barge placed in the line of the sluices, the whole was inpelled forward by the current, thereby scouring the bed. Such a machine, called a hedgehog, is still used in Lincolnshire. 1868, “Dredging”, in Charles Tomlinson, editor, Cyclopædia of Useful Arts, Mechanical and Chemical, Manufactures, Mining, and Engineering, volume 1, page 520:
  7. Certain flowering plants with parts resembling a member of family Erinaceidae ▸ Medicago intertexta, the pods of which are armed with short spines.
  8. Certain flowering plants with parts resembling a member of family Erinaceidae ▸ Retzia capensis of South Africa.
  9. The edible fungus Hydnum repandum.
    • Hedgehogs fruit from autumn until late spring. Many consumers are still unfamiliar with hedgehogs, and they have a relatively small commercial trade. 1998, Randy Molina, David Pilz, Managing Forest Ecosystems to Conserve Fungus Diversity and Sustain Wild Mushroom Harvests:
  10. A kind of electrical transformer with open magnetic circuit, the ends of the iron wire core being turned outward and presenting a bristling appearance.
  11. A way of serving food at a party, consisting of a half melon or potato etc. with individual cocktail sticks of cheese and pineapple stuck into it.
  12. (qualifier:differential geometry) A type of plane curve; see Hedgehog (geometry).
  13. Someone who has one big overarching personal philosophy or worldview.
    • Austin was patiently and painstakingly concerned with truth within limitations. He was a hedgehog, not a fox. 1970, The Month:
    • 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. 1992, J. E. Tiles, Jim E. Tiles, John Dewey, Psychology Press, →ISBN, page 220:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
hedgehogs Number=Plur lexicographic

Antonyms

fox

Coordinates

gymnure (mammal with spines)

Deriveds

Hugh's hedgehog · hedgehoggy · hedgehog slice · hedgehogless · Brandt's hedgehog · lesser hedgehog tenrec · hedgehog highway · long-eared hedgehog · hedgehog cactus · hedgehoglike · hedgehog mushroom · hedgehog seahorse · Daurian hedgehog · hedgehog thistle · Somali hedgehog · hedgehog medick · four-toed hedgehog · Indian hedgehog · hedgehog signalling pathway · spiny hedgehog · wobbly hedgehog syndrome · North African hedgehog · Czech hedgehog · hedgehog tenrec · Southern African hedgehog · sonic hedgehog · southern white-breasted hedgehog · Indian long-eared hedgehog · hedgehog plant · European hedgehog · northern white-breasted hedgehog · bare-bellied hedgehog · hairy hedgehog · desert hedgehog · Amur hedgehog · sea hedgehog · Chinese hedgehog

Hyponyms

hoglet

Synonyms

Calvary medick (Medicago intertexta) · furze-pig (mammal with spines) · prickly-pig (mammal with spines) · Erinaceus europaeus (mammal with spines) · wood hedgehog · hedgy-boar (mammal with spines) · sweet tooth · hedgepig (mammal with spines) · fuzz-pig (mammal with spines) · hedgehog medick (Medicago intertexta) · Calvary clover (Medicago intertexta) · urchin (mammal with spines)

Translations (224)

orv ожь (animal) · fa-ira ژوژ (animal) · pl jeż (obstacle) · sq uriq (animal) · gl ourizo (animal) · nog кирпи (animal) · crh kirpi (animal) · nrf hérisson (animal) · yo líìlí (animal) · lb Däreldéier (animal) · mhr шоҥшо (animal) · sw kalunguyeye (animal) · mt qanfud (animal) · szl jyż (animal) · cu ѥжь (animal) · yi יאָזש (animal) · lzz ბუძგი (animal) · sgs ežis (animal) · hi साही (animal) · mrj шӱлӹ (animal) · lb Igel (animal) · alt кирпи (animal) · fo tindasvín (animal) · zu inhloli (animal) · sl jež (animal) · pa ਝਾਹਾ (animal) · pl jeż (animal) · ga gráinneog (animal) · vot siili (animal) · kmr jijk (animal) · fur rič (animal) · nb piggsvin (animal) · hu sün (animal) · gv graynoge (animal) · tt керпе (animal) · da pindsvin (animal) · mi tuatete (animal) · ru ежа́к (animal) · sk jež (animal) · it riccio (animal) · ast perrucuspín (animal) · ar قُنْفُذ (animal) · fa-ira جوجِهتیغی (animal) · arz قنفد (animal) · pa ਕੰਡੇਰਨਾ (animal) · udi цацнагъаъгъаъл (animal) · oc eiriçon (animal) · ba терпе (animal) · nv adijiłii (animal) · ab а́хьаԥарч (animal) · scn rizzu (animal) · ota كرپی (animal) · lzz დაძოლონი (animal) · acw قُنْفُذ (animal) · ca eriçó (animal) · ast rezcayeru (animal) · av гӏужрукъ (animal) · ast porcuspín (animal) · mzn ارمنجی (animal) · gl ourizo cacho (animal) · fi siili (animal) · sco hurcheon (animal) · nds-de scharphaas (animal) · szl igel (animal) · fur riç (animal) · la ēricius (animal) · id landak (animal) · ast corrucuspín (animal) · myv сеель (animal) · mdf сеель (animal) · ary قنفود (animal) · pt ouriço (animal) · sv spansk ryttare (obstacle) · mk еж (animal) · kmr jûjî (animal) · enm yrchoun (animal) · wa lurson (animal) · zle-ort ожикъ (animal) · ps جږګی (animal) · yi שטעכלער (animal) · ug كىرپە (animal) · pa ਕੰਡਿਆਲ਼ਾ (animal) · zdj lanɗa (animal) · lld igl (animal) · lo ຫອນ (animal) · su landak (animal) · ka ზღარბი (animal) · rom arichi (animal) · izh jožikka (animal) · grc χήρ (animal) · sc grixoni (animal) · cop ⲭⲓⲣⲟⲅⲣⲓⲗⲗⲓⲟⲛ (animal) · ro arici (animal) · bua заряа (animal) · hy ոզնի (animal) · ny kanungu (animal) · zle-ort єжикъ (animal) · kk кірпі (animal) · es erizo (animal) · hsb jěž (animal) · os уызын (animal) · yue 刺蝟 /刺猬 (animal) · nds-de swienegel (animal) · pdt Schwienhunt (animal) · zlw-opl jeż (animal) · udm ӵушъял (animal) · ce зу (animal) · is broddgöltur (animal) · gmy 𐀁𐀑𐀜 (animal) · fo igulkøttur (animal) · ttt jəju (animal) · be во́жык (animal) · ur خارِ پُشْت (animal) · ru ёж (animal) · lb Kéiselek m) (animal) · cs ježek (animal) · uk їжа́к (animal) · eo erinaco (animal) · se biikagoašku (animal) · ko 고슴도치 (animal) · tl eriso (animal) · sq eshk (animal) · sq iriq (animal) · gd gràineag (animal) · tr kirpi (animal) · my ဖြူကောင် (animal) · hu sündisznó (animal) · lt ežys (animal) · uz kirpi (animal) · la ērinaceus (animal) · ru ёж (obstacle) · nn piggsvin (animal) · rm erizun (animal) · ky кирпи (animal) · sh је̑ж (animal) · wa nierson (animal) · tly jəjı (animal) · nds-de egel (animal) · cmn 刺蝟 /刺猬 (animal) · de Igel (animal) · he קיפוד (animal) · bn কাঁটাচুয়া (animal) · ckb ژیژۆک (animal) · tg хорпушт (animal) · gv arkan sonney (animal) · nn bustyvel (animal) · ja 針鼠 (animal) · vi nhím (animal) · bg еж (animal) · lo ເໝັ້ນ (animal) · fy ychel (animal) · cy draenog (animal) · fa-ira سُکُرْنِه (animal) · sq esh (animal) · am ጥርኝ (animal) · nb pinnsvin (animal) · alt ёж (animal) · et siil (animal) · he קִפּוֹד (animal) · rup ariciu (animal) · ang iġil (animal) · ast oriciu (animal) · ur خارْپُشْت (animal) · cop ⲫⲩⲛⲟⲥ (animal) · ltg ezs (animal) · inh зӏий (animal) · lb Kéisécker (animal) · vo reinad (animal) · wo suññéel bi (animal) · uk їж (animal) · bgc झाहुमूसा (animal) · ru ёжик (animal) · mn зараа (animal) · sc berittu (animal) · bej gunfid (animal) · eu triku (animal) · af krimpvarkie (animal) · el εχίνος (obstacle) · mn зожиг хүн (animal) · nl egel (animal) · ur ساہی (animal) · fr hérisson (animal) · fa-ira چولِه (animal) · sc (de matta) arritzoni (animal) · krl joža (animal) · br heureuchin (animal) · sh jȇž (animal) · oc eriç (animal) · ms landak (animal) · bg та́рльо (animal) · dsb jež (animal) · kw sort (animal) · vot joožikkõ (animal) · mns-nor ю̄нтпыӈ ӯй (animal) · bgc झाऊमूसा (animal) · afb دعلي (animal) · ast corcuspín (animal) · el σκαντζόχοιρος (animal) · xal зара (animal) · egy H-n:t*Z4-F27 (animal) · orv ежь (animal) · csb jéż (animal) · fy ychelbaarch (animal) · tk kirpi (animal) · my ဖြူ (animal) · th เม่น (animal) · ja ハリネズミ (animal) · fa-ira سیخور (animal) · lb Kéiseker (animal) · grc ἐχῖνος (animal) · lv ezis (animal) · wym ejggl (animal) · wa irson (animal) · uz tipratikan (animal) · ang hattefagol (animal) · fa-ira خارْپُشْت (animal) · cv чӗрӗп (animal) · rup arici (animal) · fa-ira ژوژِه (animal) · bg тарале́ж (animal) · sv igelkott (animal) · hsb jěžik (animal) · az kirpi (animal) · ru ежи́ха (animal)

wikidata: Q6120 · wikipedia: Isaiah Berlin · wikipedia: The Hedgehog and the Fox

hedgehog en · VERB

Pronunciation

  • /ˈhɛd͡ʒ.hɔɡ/ (General-American)
  • /ˈɛd͡ʒ.ɒɡ/ h-dropping
  • (Australia) audio
  • /ˈhɛd͡ʒ.hɒɡ/

Etymology

From Middle English heyghoge; equivalent to hedge + hog. Eclipsed non-native Middle English yrchoun, irchoun (“hedgehog”), from Old French hirchoun, herichon (“hedgehog”); and displaced earlier Middle English il, from Old English īl, iġil (“hedgehog”). In the philosophical sense, from the 1953 essay The Hedgehog and the Fox by Isaiah Berlin. Compare typologically Korean 고슴도치 (goseumdochi) (<<+ Middle Korean 돝 (twoth, “pig, swine”)).

Meanings

  1. To make use of a hedgehog barricade as a defensive maneuver.
    • Hedgehogging means — let us call a spade a spade — that we're were encircled: It's something that has been forced upon us, a predicament from which we ought to try to escape as fast as possible. 1966, Theodor Plievier, Stalingrad, page 43:
    • During the night of May 27 the 90th Light Division hedgehogged south of El Adem. 2007, Samuel W. Mitcham Jr., Rommel's Desert War: The Life and Death of the Afrika Korps, →ISBN:
    • Luettwitz hedgehogged his regiment and held his positions until the rest of the division arrived two days later. 2012, Samuel W. Mitcham Jr., Gene Mueller, Hitler's Commanders, →ISBN:
  2. To array with spiky projections like the quills of a hedgehog.
    • The walls were pockmarked with fragments of stone and hedgehogged with jagged daggers of glass, while in the street below there were sickening splodges on the pavement which a workman was covering with sawdust. 2008, Max Hennessy, Back to Battle, →ISBN, page 300:
    • I think they're from different faculties,” I reply, taking a step back to peruse the table filled with assorted snacks, my hand hovering over the hedgehogged tray of cheese and pineapple cocktail sticks. 2014, George Ryder, Last Action Zero, →ISBN, page 39:
    • All around were styrofoam cups hedgehogged with butts, and the threebar electric heater was encrusted with bits of charcoaled tobacco and frazzled stands of hair where people had stooped down to spark up. 2008, Antonia Quirke, Choking on Marlon Brando, →ISBN:
  3. (ambitransitive) To curl up into a defensive ball.
    • You try for his head, but he's hedgehogged round now, elbows beside his ears and you can't get him. 2008, A.L. Kennedy, Day, →ISBN, page 229:
    • I stayed hedgehogged in my ball, listening for movement and trying to ignore the cramp in my legs, the ache in my gut and — encore — the throbbing in my temples. 2011, Edwin Thomas, The Blighted Cliffs, →ISBN, page 13:
    • The dead man was lying on a pile of the blankets, curled up, his hands interlocked behind his head, knees drawn up to his chest. Hedgehogged, just like the others. 2014, Robert Ryan, The Dead Can Wait, →ISBN, page 287:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
hedgehogging Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
hedgehogs Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
hedgehogged Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
hedgehogged Tense=Past lexicographic

Relateds

erinaceous · echidna · porcupine

wikipedia: Isaiah Berlin · wikipedia: The Hedgehog and the Fox