Squire, v. t. [imp. & p. p. squired (?); p. pr. & vb. n. squiring.] 1.
To attend as a squire. Chaucer.
2. To attend as a beau, or gallant, for aid and protection; as, to
squire a lady. [Colloq.] Goldsmith.
Squir*een" (?), n. One who is half squire and half farmer; -- used
humorously. [Eng.] C. Kingsley.
Squire"hood (?), n. The rank or state of a squire; squireship. Swift.
squire"ling (?), n. A petty squire. Tennyson.
Squire"ly, a. & adv. Becoming a squire; like a squire.
squire"ship, n. Squirehood.
Squirm (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Squirmed (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Squirming.] [Cf. Swarm to climb a tree.] To twist about briskly with
contor&?;ions like an eel or a worm; to wriggle; to writhe.
Squirr (?), v. t. See Squir.
Squir"rel (skwr"rl or skwr"-; 277), n. [OE. squirel, OF. esquirel,
escurel, F. écureuil, LL. squirelus, squirolus, scuriolus, dim. of L.
sciurus, Gr. si`oyros; skia` shade + o'yra` tail. Cf. Shine, v. i.] 1.
(Zoöl.) Any one of numerous species of small rodents belonging to the
genus Sciurus and several allied genera of the family Sciuridæ.
Squirrels generally have a bushy tail, large erect ears, and strong
hind legs. They are commonly arboreal in their habits, but many species
live in burrows.
Among the common North American squirrels are the gray squirrel
(Scirius Carolinensis) and its black variety; the fox, or cat, sqirrel
(S. cinereus, or S. niger) which is a large species, and variable in
color, the southern variety being frequently black, while the northern
and western varieties are usually gray or rusty brown; the red squirrel
(see Chickaree); the striped, or chipping, squirrel (see Chipmunk); and
the California gray squirrel (S. fossor). Several other species inhabit
Mexico and Central America. The common European species (Sciurus
vulgaris) has a long tuft of hair on each ear. the so- called
Australian squirrels are marsupials. See Petaurist, and Phalanger.
2. One of the small rollers of a carding machine which work with the
large cylinder.
Barking squirrel (Zoöl.), the prairie dog. -- Federation squirrel
(Zoöl.), the striped gopher. See Gopher, 2. -- Flying squirrel (Zoöl.).
See Flying squirrel, in the Vocabulary. -- Java squirrel (Zoöl.). See
Jelerang. -- Squirrel corn (Bot.), a North American herb (Dicantra
Canadensis) bearing little yellow tubers. -- Squirrel cup (Bot.), the
blossom of the Hepatica triloba, a low perennial herb with cup-shaped
flowers varying from purplish blue to pink or even white. It is one of
the earliest flowers of spring. -- Squirrel fish (Zoöl.) (a) A sea bass
(Serranus fascicularis) of the Southern United States. (b) The sailor's
choice (Diplodus rhomboides). (c) The redmouth, or grunt. (d) A market
fish of Bermuda (Holocentrum Ascensione). -- Squirrel grass (Bot.), a
pestiferous grass (Hordeum murinum) related to barley. In California
the stiffly awned spiklets work into the wool of sheep, and into the
throat, flesh, and eyes of animals, sometimes even producing death. --
Squirrel hake (Zoöl.), a common American hake (Phycis tenuis); --
called also white hake. -- Squirrel hawk (Zoöl.), any rough-legged
hawk; especially, the California species Archibuteo ferrugineus. --
Squirrel monkey. (Zoöl.) (a) Any one of several species of small,
soft-haired South American monkeys of the genus Calithrix. They are
noted for their graceful form and agility. See Teetee. (b) A marmoset.
-- Squirrel petaurus (Zoöl.), a flying phalanger of Australia. See
Phalanger, Petaurist, and Flying phalanger under Flying. -- Squirrel
shrew (Zoöl.), any one of several species of East Indian and Asiatic
insectivores of the genus Tupaia. They are allied to the shrews, but
have a bushy tail, like that of a squirrel. -- Squirrel-tail grass
(Bot.), a grass (Hordeum jubatum) found in salt marshes and along the
Great Lakes, having a dense spike beset with long awns.
Squirt (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Squirted; p. pr. & vb. n. Squirting.]
[Cf. LG. swirtjen to squirt, OSw. sqvätta, E. squander.] To drive or
eject in a stream out of a narrow pipe or orifice; as, to squirt water.
The hard-featured miscreant coolly rolled his tobacco in his cheek,
and squirted the juice into the fire grate.
Sir W. Scott.
Squirting cucumber. (Bot.) See Ecballium.
Squirt, v. i. 1. To be thrown out, or ejected, in a rapid stream, from
a narrow orifice; - - said of liquids.
2. Hence, to throw out or utter words rapidly; to prate. [Low]
L'Estrange.
Squirt, n. 1. An instrument out of which a liquid is ejected in a small
stream with force. Young.