Fox

Fox, foks, n. an animal of the family Canidæ, genus Vulpes, of proverbial cunning:—fem. Vix′en: any one notorious for cunning.—ns. Fox′-bat, a flying-fox, a fruit-bat; Fox′-brush, the tail of a fox; Fox′-earth, a fox's burrow.—adj. Foxed, discoloured, spotted.—ns. Fox′-ē′vil, alopecia; Fox′glove, a plant with glove-like flowers, whose leaves are used as a soothing medicine; Fox′hound, a hound used for chasing foxes; Fox′-hunt; Fox′-hunt′er; Fox′-hunt′ing; Fox′iness, decay: having a harsh, sour taste: state of being spotted, as books; Fox′-shark, a large shark of over 12 feet, occasionally seen off British coasts; Fox′ship (Shak.), the character of a fox, craftiness; Fox′-tail, a genus of grasses, generally characterised by a bushy head; Fox′-terr′ier, a kind of terrier trained to unearth foxes; Fox′-trap, a trap for catching foxes; Fox′-trot, a pace with short steps, as in changing from trotting to walking.—adj. Fox′y, of foxes: cunning, suspicious, causing suspicion: (paint.) having too much of the reddish-brown or fox-colour.—Fox and geese, a game played with pieces on a board, where the object is for certain pieces called the geese to surround or corner one called the fox. [A.S. fox; Ger. fuchs.]