wulf n. & v. --n. (pl. wolves) 1 a
wild flesh-eating tawny-grey
mammal related to
the dog,
esp. Canis
lupus, preying on
sheep etc.
and hunting in packs. 2 sl. a
man given to seducing
women. 3 a
rapacious or
greedy person. 4 Mus. a a jarring
sound from some notes in a bowed
instrument. b an out-of-tune
effect when playing
certain chords on
old organs (before the present 'equal temperament'
was in use). --v.tr. (often foll. by down)
devour (food) greedily. øcry wolf
raise repeated
false alarms (so
that a
genuine one is disregarded).
have (or hold) a wolf by the ears be in a
precarious position.
keep the wolf from the
door avert hunger or starvation.
lone wolf a person
who prefers to
act alone.
throw to the
wolves sacrifice without compunction. wolf-cub 1 a
young wolf. 2
Brit. the former
name for a
Cub Scout. wolf-fish
any large voracious blenny of the
genus Anarrhichas. wolf in sheep's
clothing a
hostile person who pretends
friendship. wolf-pack an attacking
group of submarines or
aircraft. wolf's-milk
spurge. wolf-spider any ground-dwelling
spider of the
family Lycosidae, hunting
instead of trapping
its prey. wolf-whistle n. a sexually
admiring whistle by a man to a
woman. --v.intr.
make a wolf-whistle. øøwolfish adj. wolfishly adv. wolflike adj. & adv. [OE wulf f. Gmc]
