beaver
beaver — noun
1. a large animal with webbed feet, a flat tail, and big front teeth that uses bran
a large animal with webbed feet, a flat tail, and big front teeth that uses branches and mud to block rivers
A beaver dragged branches through the water at sunset.
typical action: carry branches
Two beavers built a dam near the camping bridge.
collocation: build a dam
The guide showed us a beaver home beside the river.
Mia found beaver teeth marks on the fallen tree.
- build a dam
- drag branches
- gnaw a tree
- beaver teeth marks
- castor
Technical or scientific name, not the usual everyday word.
Usage Note
Often appears with words about rivers, wood, and building. Unlike similar river animals such as otters, this sense strongly suggests cutting trees and making dams.
2. someone who keeps busy and does a lot of work
someone who keeps busy and does a lot of work
Everyone calls Nina a beaver during exam week.
pattern: call someone a beaver
Our new intern is a real beaver, filing orders after everyone left.
collocation: a real beaver
Since June, Marco has been a beaver, fixing fences before sunrise.
The coach called Ella a beaver after she swept the gym alone.
- a real beaver
- call someone a beaver
- little beaver
- hard worker
Plain and neutral.
- workhorse
Suggests someone reliable who does a lot, often in a team.
- grafter
Mainly British informal; stresses effort.
Usage Note
Usually approving and informal. It describes steady, energetic effort, not simply having a hard job.
Common Mistakes
3. a very rude slang word referring to a woman's genitals
a very rude slang word referring to a woman's genitals
The editor removed beaver because the article sounded crude.
usage: offensive slang word
In that old film, beaver is used as a rude joke.
The teacher explained that beaver can offend many readers.
Most style guides warn writers not to use beaver.
- rude joke
- offensive slang
- warn against beaver
Usage Note
Strongly offensive in many situations and usually better avoided. Neutral words such as vulva or genitals are safer when the body part itself is meant.
4. the soft hair from this animal, especially when it is used to make hats or cloth
the soft hair from this animal, especially when it is used to make hats or clothing
The museum displayed a warm coat made from beaver.
material: made from beaver
Her grandfather wore a black hat trimmed with beaver.
collocation: trimmed with beaver
The trader sold beaver to a shop in Quebec.
That old collar still has soft beaver on the inside.
- beaver fur
- beaver hat
- beaver coat
- trimmed with beaver
Usage Note
Used as a material name after words like coat, hat, or collar. Distinguish from sense 1, which names the living animal.
5. in the Scouts, a group for young children, usually around six to eight years old
in the Scouts, a group for young children, usually around six to eight years old, in some countries
The Beavers meet in the church hall every Thursday.
proper name: the Beavers
Sam joined the Beavers when he was seven.
pattern: join the Beavers
The Beavers learned fire safety at the summer camp.
Parents helped the Beavers plant trees in the park.
- join the Beavers
- Beavers meeting
- Beavers camp
- Scout section
General description, not the official title.
- junior Scout group
Descriptive phrase for young members.
Usage Note
Written with a capital B when it names this Scout section. Distinguish from sense 6, which names one child in the section.
Common Mistakes
6. one child who belongs to the Beavers group in the Scouts
one child who belongs to the Beavers group in the Scouts
A Beaver must bring a water bottle to camp.
count noun: a Beaver
Lily became a Beaver after her seventh birthday.
pattern: become a Beaver
Each Beaver wore a blue scarf at the parade.
The leader asked every Beaver to line up quietly.
- a Beaver
- become a Beaver
- each Beaver
- Scout member
General description; much less specific.
- young Scout
Descriptive phrase, not the official title.
Usage Note
Usually countable and written with a capital B in Scout contexts. Distinguish from sense 5, which names the whole section.
Common Mistakes
beaver — verb
1. to keep working busily and with a lot of effort
to keep working busily and with a lot of effort
Rosa beavered in the kitchen before the wedding.
intransitive use with place phrase
The whole team beavered all night on the school play.
pattern: beaver on a task
After lunch, Ben beavered at his desk until six.
Volunteers beavered through the rain to finish the shelter.
While others rested, Mina beavered over the final report.
- beaver on a project
- beaver at a desk
- beaver over a report
- beaver away
- work
The plain, neutral verb.
- toil
Stresses hard or tiring effort.
- labour
More formal, especially in British English.
- slave away
Informal and stronger; suggests tiring, unhappy work.
Usage Note
Usually intransitive and often followed by a phrase showing the task, place, or time spent working. It suggests steady, busy effort rather than a short action.
Common Mistakes
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
For the animal sense, beaver is much more specific than rodent. A rodent is any animal in a large group with front teeth that keep growing, so mice and squirrels are rodents too. Muskrat is closer because it also lives around water, but a muskrat is smaller and is not known for building large dams. Otter often appears in similar river scenes, yet an otter is not a rodent and is better known for catching fish and swimming. Use beaver when you mean the flat-tailed animal that cuts trees and blocks rivers with wood and mud. For example: We saw a beaver carrying branches. The pond was full of muskrats, not beavers.
Etymology
Beaver comes from Old English beofor. It belongs to an old Germanic family of words, related to Dutch bever and German Biber, all naming the same dam-building animal.