Fox (?), n.; pl.
Foxes (#). [AS. fox; akin to D. vos,
G. fuchs, OHG. fuhs, foha, Goth.
faúh?, Icel. f?a fox, fox fraud; of
unknown origin, cf. Skr. puccha tail. Cf. Vixen.]
1. (Zoöl.) 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.
☞ 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.
Subtle as the fox for prey.
Shak.
2. (Zoöl.) The European
dragonet.
3. (Zoöl.) The fox shark or
thrasher shark; -- called also sea fox. See Thrasher
shark, under Shark.
4. A sly, cunning fellow. [Colloq.]
We call a crafty and cruel man a
fox.
Beattie.
5. (Naut.) Rope yarn twisted together,
and rubbed with tar; -- used for seizings or mats.
6. A sword; -- so called from the stamp of a
fox on the blade, or perhaps of a wolf taken for a fox.
[Obs.]
Thou diest on point of fox.
Shak.
7. pl. (Ethnol.) A tribe of
Indians which, with the Sacs, formerly occupied the region about
Green Bay, Wisconsin; -- called also Outagamies.
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 (Zoöl.), 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
(Zoöl.), 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 (Zoöl.),
the thrasher shark. See Thrasher shark, under
Thrasher. -- Fox sleep, pretended
sleep. -- Fox sparrow (Zoöl.),
a large American sparrow (Passerella iliaca); -- so called
on account of its reddish color. -- Fox
squirrel (Zoöl.), 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 (Zoöl.),
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 (Zoöl.),
one of several South American wild dogs, belonging to the genus
Canis. They have long, bushy tails like a fox.