the fine, soft, thick, hairy coat of the skin of a mammal.
the skin of certain animals, as the sable, ermine, or beaver, covered with such a coat, used for lining, trimming, or making garments.
a garment made of fur.
any coating resembling or suggesting fur, as certain matter on the tongue.
Heraldry. any conventional representation of a fur, as ermine, vair, potent, or their variations.
adjective
of or relating to fur, animal skins, dressed pelts, etc.: a fur coat; a fur trader.
verb (used with object),furred,fur·ring.
to line, face, or trim, with fur, as a garment.
Building Trades. to apply furring to (a wall, ceiling, etc.).
to clothe (a person) with fur.
to coat with foul or deposited matter.
Idioms for fur
make the fur fly,
to cause a scene or disturbance, especially of a violent nature; make trouble: When the kids got mad they really made the fur fly.
to do things quickly: She always makes the fur fly when she types.
Origin of fur
1300–50; Middle English furre (noun), derivative of furren to trim with fur <Anglo-French furrer,Old French fo(u)rrer originally to encase, derivative of fuerre sheath <Germanic; akin to Old English fōdder case, sheath, Old Norse fōthr,Greek pṓma
Of fur of costly otter / his mantle was complete, With other skins embroidered / from head unto the feet.
The Nibelungenlied|Unknown
Portrait of Rembrandt, seen in a front view, wearing a fur cap of a round form, and a mantle.
Rembrandt and His Works|John Burnet
He unnerstan's shep—I will say that fur 'en—he's a rare 'un at doctorin' of 'em, too.
Mr. Punch's Country Life|Various
British Dictionary definitions for fur (1 of 2)
fur
/ (fɜː) /
noun
the dense coat of fine silky hairs on such mammals as the cat, seal, and mink
the dressed skin of certain fur-bearing animals, with the hair left on
(as modifier)a fur coat
a garment made of fur, such as a coat or stole
a pile fabric made in imitation of animal fur
a garment made from such a fabric
heraldryany of various stylized representations of animal pelts or their tinctures, esp ermine or vair, used in coats of arms
informala whitish coating of cellular debris on the tongue, caused by excessive smoking, an upset stomach, etc
Britisha whitish-grey deposit consisting chiefly of calcium carbonate precipitated from hard water onto the insides of pipes, boilers, and kettles
make the fur flyto cause a scene or disturbance
verbfurs, furringorfurred
(tr)to line or trim a garment, etc, with fur
(often foll by up)to cover or become covered with a furlike lining or deposit
(tr)to clothe (a person) in a fur garment or garments
Derived forms of fur
furless, adjective
Word Origin for fur
C14: from Old French forrer to line a garment, from fuerre sheath, of Germanic origin; related to Old English fōdder case, Old Frisian fōder coat lining