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weasel

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you weasel

You sneaky person. You weasel! I can't believe you stole the song I was going to do for the audition!

See also: weasel

catch a weasel asleep

To surprise someone who is normally alert, shrewd, or on-guard. Primarily heard in US. You want to try to steal your transcript from the principal's office? You never catch a weasel asleep—and especially not that one!

See also: asleep, catch, weasel

weasel out

 (of something)

1. Fig. to squeeze one's way out of something. Somehow, the child managed to weasel out of the hole she was stuck in. The mouse tried to weasel out.

2. Fig. to evade or avoid a job or responsibility. (Fig. on {2}.) Don't try to weasel out of your responsibility! You can't weasel out! You have to do it.

See also: out, weasel

weasel out (of something)

to escape responsibility for something He used all kinds of excuses to weasel out of paying his bills.

See also: out, weasel

weasel words

  (mainly American)

words that you use to avoid answering a question or to deceive someone She was too experienced an interviewer to be taken in by the weasel words of crafty politicians.

See also: weasel, word

weasel out

Back out of a situation or commitment, especially in a sneaky way. For example, I'd love to weasel out of serving on the board. This expression alludes to the stealthy hunting and nesting habits of the weasel, a small, slender-bodied predator. [Colloquial; mid-1900s]

See also: out, weasel

weasel word

A word used to deprive a statement of its force or evade a direct commitment, as in Calling it "organized spontaneity" is using a weasel word; "organized" has sucked the meaning out of "spontaneity." This idiom may allude to the weasel's habit of sucking the contents out of a bird's egg, so that only the shell remains. [Late 1800s]

See also: weasel, word

weasel out

v. Slang

1. To back out of some situation or commitment in a selfish or sly manner: The party was boring—you were smart to weasel out early. My cousins weaseled out of contributing to the gift.

2. weasel out of To elicit something from someone by artful or devious means: At first, they wouldn't admit that they were to blame, but I weaseled the truth out of them.

See also: out, weasel

weasel

1. n. a sneaky person. If Fred weren’t such a weasel, we could get along better.

2. n. an earnest student. (Collegiate.) Martin is your classic weasel.

weasel out of something

in. to get out of doing something; to wiggle out of a responsibility. I know how to weasel out of something like that. You get a headache.

See also: of, out, weasel