n. [ For brand-fox; cf. G. brandfuchs, Sw. bradräf. So called from its yellowish brown and somewhat black color. See Brand. ] (Zool.) A kind of fox found in Sweden (Vulpes alopex), smaller than the common fox (Vulpes vulgaris), but probably a variety of it. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A crafty fox. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) (a) A male fox. See the Note under Dog, n., 6. Sir W. Scott. (b) The Arctic or blue fox; -- a name also applied to species of the genus Cynalopex. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Zool.) 1. a fruit bat of the genus Pteropus, which has a head resembling that of a fox. [ PJC ]

2. the colugo. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Foxes [ AS. fox; akin to D. vos, G. fuchs, OHG. fuhs, foha, Goth. faúhō, Icel. fōa fox, fox fraud; of unknown origin, cf. Skr. puccha tail. Cf. Vixen. ] 1. (Zool.) A carnivorous animal of the genus Vulpes, family Canidæ, of many species. The European fox (V. vulgaris or V. vulpes), the American red fox (V. fulvus), the American gray fox (V. Virginianus), and the arctic, white, or blue, fox (V. lagopus) are well-known species. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The black or silver-gray fox is a variety of the American red fox, producing a fur of great value; the cross-gray and woods-gray foxes are other varieties of the same species, of less value. The common foxes of Europe and America are very similar; both are celebrated for their craftiness. They feed on wild birds, poultry, and various small animals. [ 1913 Webster ]

Subtle as the fox for prey. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) The European dragonet. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Zool.) The fox shark or thrasher shark; -- called also sea fox. See Thrasher shark, under Shark. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A sly, cunning fellow. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

We call a crafty and cruel man a fox. Beattie. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Naut.) Rope yarn twisted together, and rubbed with tar; -- used for seizings or mats. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. A sword; -- so called from the stamp of a fox on the blade, or perhaps of a wolf taken for a fox. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Thou diest on point of fox. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. pl. (Ethnol.) A tribe of Indians which, with the Sacs, formerly occupied the region about Green Bay, Wisconsin; -- called also Outagamies. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fox and geese. (a) A boy's game, in which one boy tries to catch others as they run one goal to another. (b) A game with sixteen checkers, or some substitute for them, one of which is called the fox, and the rest the geese; the fox, whose first position is in the middle of the board, endeavors to break through the line of the geese, and the geese to pen up the fox. --
Fox bat (Zool.), a large fruit bat of the genus Pteropus, of many species, inhabiting Asia, Africa, and the East Indies, esp. P. medius of India. Some of the species are more than four feet across the outspread wings. See Fruit bat. --
Fox bolt, a bolt having a split end to receive a fox wedge. --
Fox brush (Zool.), the tail of a fox. --
Fox evil, a disease in which the hair falls off; alopecy. --
Fox grape (Bot.), the name of two species of American grapes. The northern fox grape (Vitis Labrusca) is the origin of the varieties called Isabella, Concord, Hartford, etc., and the southern fox grape (Vitis vulpina) has produced the Scuppernong, and probably the Catawba. --
Fox hunter. (a) One who pursues foxes with hounds. (b) A horse ridden in a fox chase. --
Fox shark (Zool.), the thrasher shark. See Thrasher shark, under Thrasher. --
Fox sleep, pretended sleep. --
Fox sparrow (Zool.), a large American sparrow (Passerella iliaca); -- so called on account of its reddish color. --
Fox squirrel (Zool.), a large North American squirrel (Sciurus niger, or S. cinereus). In the Southern States the black variety prevails; farther north the fulvous and gray variety, called the cat squirrel, is more common. --
Fox terrier (Zool.), one of a peculiar breed of terriers, used in hunting to drive foxes from their holes, and for other purposes. There are rough- and smooth-haired varieties. --
Fox trot, a pace like that which is adopted for a few steps, by a horse, when passing from a walk into a trot, or a trot into a walk. --
Fox wedge (Mach. & Carpentry), a wedge for expanding the split end of a bolt, cotter, dowel, tenon, or other piece, to fasten the end in a hole or mortise and prevent withdrawal. The wedge abuts on the bottom of the hole and the piece is driven down upon it. Fastening by fox wedges is called foxtail wedging. --
Fox wolf (Zool.), one of several South American wild dogs, belonging to the genus Canis. They have long, bushy tails like a fox. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Foxed p. pr. & vb. n. Foxing. ] [ See Fox, n., cf. Icel. fox imposture. ] 1. To intoxicate; to stupefy with drink. [ 1913 Webster ]

I drank . . . so much wine that I was almost foxed. Pepys. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To make sour, as beer, by causing it to ferment. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To repair the feet of, as of boots, with new front upper leather, or to piece the upper fronts of. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To turn sour; -- said of beer, etc., when it sours in fermenting. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A hole in the earth to which a fox resorts to hide himself. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Discolored or stained; -- said of timber, and also of the paper of books or engravings. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Repaired by foxing; as, foxed boots. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Behavior like that of a fox; cunning. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. pl. (Ethnol.) See Fox, n., 7. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) (a) The fox shark; -- called also sea fox. See Thrasher shark, under Shark. (b) The european dragonet. See Dragonet. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. foxes-glōfa, foxes-clōfa, foxes-clife. ] (Bot.) Any plant of the genus Digitalis. The common English foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) is a handsome perennial or biennial plant, whose leaves are used as a powerful medicine, both as a sedative and diuretic. See Digitalis. [ 1913 Webster ]

Pan through the pastures oftentimes hath run
To pluck the speckled foxgloves from their stem. W. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Mil.) a small pit in the ground for individual shelter against enemy fire.
Syn. -- fox hole. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. (Zool.) One of a special breed of hounds used for chasing foxes. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to or engaged in the hunting of foxes; fond of hunting foxes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The state or quality of being foxy, or foxlike; craftiness; shrewdness. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state of being foxed or discolored, as books; decay; deterioration. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A coarse and sour taste in grapes. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Foxlike. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Resembling a fox in his characteristic qualities; cunning; artful; foxy. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Foxlike. [ Obs. ] “Foxly craft.” Latimer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Foxiness; craftiness. [ R. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The tail or brush of a fox. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot.) The name of several kinds of grass having a soft dense head of flowers, mostly the species of Alopecurus and Setaria. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Metal.) The last cinders obtained in the fining process. Raymond. [ 1913 Webster ]

Foxtail saw, a dovetail saw. --
Foxtail wedging. See Fox wedge, under Fox. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a ballroom dance for couples in quadruple time, combining short and long and fast and slow steps in fixed sequences.
Syn. -- fox-trot. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. i. To dance the foxtrot. [ PJC ]

a. 1. Like or pertaining to the fox; foxlike in disposition or looks; wily; cunning. [ 1913 Webster ]

Modred's narrow, foxy face. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Having the color of a fox; of a yellowish or reddish brown color; -- applied sometimes to paintings when they have too much of this color. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Having the odor of a fox; rank; strong smelling. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Sour; unpleasant in taste; -- said of wine, beer, etc., not properly fermented; -- also of grapes which have the coarse flavor of the fox grape. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Attractive in a sexually appealing way; --of women. [ Slang ] [ PJC ]

6. Stylish and sexually attractive; -- of women's clothing; as, wearing a foxy new outfit. [ Slang ] [ PJC ]

pos>n. (Zool.) A young fox. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

pos>v. t. [ out + fox; from the supposed cleverness of a fox in stalking prey. ] To defeat or gain an advantage over (an antagonist) by clever stratagems; to outwit; to outmaneuver; to outsmart. [ PJC ]

(Zool.) The thrasher shark. See Thrasher. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Zool.) The carp; -- so called on account of its cunning. Walton. [ 1913 Webster ]