fox

Etymology

From Middle English fox, from Old English fox (“fox”), from Proto-West Germanic *fuhs, from Proto-Germanic *fuhsaz (“fox”), from Proto-Indo-European *púḱsos (“the tailed one”), possibly from *puḱ- (“tail”). Cognate with Scots fox (“fox”), West Frisian foks (“fox”), Fering-Öömrang North Frisian foos and Sölring and Heligoland fos, Dutch vos (“fox”), Low German vos (“fox”), German Fuchs (“fox”), Icelandic fóa (“fox”), Tocharian B päkā (“tail, chowrie”), Russian пух (pux, “down, fluff”), Sanskrit पुच्छ (púccha) (whence Torwali پوش (pūš, “fox”), Hindi पूंछ (pūñch, “tail”)).

noun

1. A red fox, small carnivore (Vulpes vulpes), related to dogs and wolves, with red or silver fur and a bushy tail.
   The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
   The fox went out on a chase one night, / he prayed to the Moon to give him light, / for he had many a mile to go that night / before he reached the town-o, town-o, town-o. / He had many a mile to go that night / before he reached the town-o. 15ᵗʰ century, The Fox, verse 1
2. Any of numerous species of small wild canids resembling the red fox. In the taxonomy they form the tribe Vulpini within the family Canidae, consisting of nine genera (see the Wikipedia article on the fox).
3. The fur of a fox.
4. A fox terrier.
5. The gemmeous dragonet, a fish, Callionymus lyra, so called from its yellow color.
6. (slang, figurative) A cunning person.
7. (slang, figurative) A physically attractive man or woman.
   And Jerry was cute, you know, I liked him, but Frank was a total fox. And he was rougher than Jerry, you know, not so cultured. 1993, Laura Antoniou, The Marketplace, page 90
   It wasn't just that Jayne was a fox – although, fuck, was she ever a fox. That arse, those tits, those lips. They could have a really good time together. 2012, Adele Parks, Still Thinking of You
8. (slang, figurative) A person with reddish brown hair, usually a woman.
9. (nautical) A small strand of rope made by twisting several rope-yarns together. Used for seizings, mats, sennits, and gaskets.
10. (mechanics) A wedge driven into the split end of a bolt to tighten it.
11. A hidden radio transmitter, finding which is the goal of radiosport.
    Locating a hidden transmitter (the fox) has been a popular ham activity for many years. 2006, H. Ward Silver, The ARRL Ham Radio License Manual
12. (cartomancy) The fourteenth Lenormand card.
13. (obsolete) A sword; so called from the stamp of a fox on the blade, or perhaps of a wolf taken for a fox.
14. (military, aviation) Air-to-air weapon launched.
    Got a lock! Fox, Fox! 25 September 2007, Bungie, Halo 3, v1.0, Microsoft Game Studios, [[w:Xbox 360, level/area: The Ark|Xbox 360, level/area: The Ark]]

verb

1. (transitive) To trick, fool or outwit (someone) by cunning or ingenuity.
2. (transitive) To confuse or baffle (someone).
   This crossword puzzle has completely foxed me.
3. (intransitive) To act slyly or craftily.
4. (intransitive) To discolour paper. Fox marks are spots on paper caused by humidity. (See foxing.)
   The pages of the book show distinct foxing.
5. (transitive) To make sour, as beer, by causing it to ferment.
6. (intransitive) To turn sour; said of beer, etc., when it sours in fermenting.
7. (transitive) To intoxicate; to stupefy with drink.
8. (transitive) To repair (boots) with new front upper leather, or to piece the upper fronts of.