Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Squirrel \Squir"rel\ (skw[~e]r"r[~e]l or skw[i^]r"-; 277), n.
   [OE. squirel, OF. esquirel, escurel, F. ['e]cureuil, LL.
   squirelus, squirolus, scuriolus, dim. of L. sciurus, Gr.
   si`oyros; skia` shade + o'yra` tail. Cf. {Shine}, v. i.]
   1. (Zo["o]l.) Any one of numerous species of small rodents
      belonging to the genus {Sciurus} and several allied genera
      of the family {Sciurid[ae]}. Squirrels generally have a
      bushy tail, large erect ears, and strong hind legs. They
      are commonly arboreal in their habits, but many species
      live in burrows.

   Note: Among the common North American squirrels are the gray
         squirrel ({Scirius Carolinensis}) and its black
         variety; the fox, or cat, sqirrel ({S. cinereus}, or
         {S. niger}) which is a large species, and variable in
         color, the southern variety being frequently black,
         while the northern and western varieties are usually
         gray or rusty brown; the red squirrel (see
         {Chickaree}); the striped, or chipping, squirrel (see
         {Chipmunk}); and the California gray squirrel ({S.
         fossor}). Several other species inhabit Mexico and
         Central America. The common European species ({Sciurus
         vulgaris}) has a long tuft of hair on each ear. the
         so-called Australian squirrels are marsupials. See
         {Petaurist}, and {Phalanger}.

   2. One of the small rollers of a carding machine which work
      with the large cylinder.

   {Barking squirrel} (Zo["o]l.), the prairie dog.

   {Federation squirrel} (Zo["o]l.), the striped gopher. See
      {Gopher}, 2.

   {Flying squirrel} (Zo["o]l.). See {Flying squirrel}, in the
      Vocabulary.

   {Java squirrel} (Zo["o]l.). See {Jelerang}.

   {Squirrel corn} (Bot.), a North American herb ({Dicantra
      Canadensis}) bearing little yellow tubers.

   {Squirrel cup} (Bot.), the blossom of the {Hepatica triloba},
      a low perennial herb with cup-shaped flowers varying from
      purplish blue to pink or even white. It is one of the
      earliest flowers of spring.

   {Squirrel fish} (Zo["o]l.)
      (a) A sea bass ({Serranus fascicularis}) of the Southern
          United States.
      (b) The sailor's choice ({Diplodus rhomboides}).
      (c) The redmouth, or grunt.
      (d) A market fish of Bermuda ({Holocentrum Ascensione}).
          

   {Squirrel grass} (Bot.), a pestiferous grass ({Hordeum
      murinum}) related to barley. In California the stiffly
      awned spiklets work into the wool of sheep, and into the
      throat, flesh, and eyes of animals, sometimes even
      producing death.

   {Squirrel hake} (Zo["o]l.), a common American hake ({Phycis
      tenuis}); -- called also {white hake}.

   {Squirrel hawk} (Zo["o]l.), any rough-legged hawk;
      especially, the California species {Archibuteo
      ferrugineus}.

   {Squirrel monkey}. (Zo["o]l.)
      (a) Any one of several species of small, soft-haired South
          American monkeys of the genus {Calithrix}. They are
          noted for their graceful form and agility. See
          {Teetee}.
      (b) A marmoset.

   {Squirrel petaurus} (Zo["o]l.), a flying phalanger of
      Australia. See {Phalanger}, {Petaurist}, and {Flying
      phalanger} under {Flying}.

   {Squirrel shrew} (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of
      East Indian and Asiatic insectivores of the genus
      {Tupaia}. They are allied to the shrews, but have a bushy
      tail, like that of a squirrel.

   {Squirrel-tail grass} (Bot.), a grass ({Hordeum jubatum})
      found in salt marshes and along the Great Lakes, having a
      dense spike beset with long awns.

Nimble Will, a kind of drop seed. {Muhlenbergia diffsa}. Orchard
grass, pasture and hay. {Dactylis glomerata}. Porcupine grass,
troublesome to sheep. Northwest. {Stipa spartea}. Quaking grass,
ornamental. {Briza media} and {maxima}. Quitch, or Quick, grass,
etc., a weed. {Agropyrum repens}. Ray grass. Same as {Rye grass}
(below). Redtop, pasture and hay. {Agrostis vulgaris}.
Red-topped buffalo grass, forage. Northwest. {Poa tenuifolia}.
Reed canary grass, of slight value. {Phalaris arundinacea}. Reed
meadow grass, hay. North. {Glyceria aquatica}. Ribbon grass, a
striped leaved form of {Reed canary grass}. Rye grass, pasture,
hay. {Lolium perenne}, var. Seneca grass, fragrant basket work,
etc. North. {Hierochloa borealis}. Sesame grass. Same as {Gama
grass} (above). Sheep's fescue, sheep pasture, native in
Northern Europe and Asia. {Festuca ovina}. Small reed grass,
meadow pasture and hay. North. {Deyeuxia Canadensis}. Spear
grass, Same as {Meadow grass} (above). Squirrel-tail grass,
troublesome to animals. Seacoast and Northwest. {Hordeum
jubatum}. Switch grass, hay, cut young. {Panicum virgatum}.
Timothy, cut young, the best of hay. North. {Phleum pratense}.
Velvet grass, hay on poor soil. South. {Holcus lanatus}. Vernal
grass, pasture, hay, lawn. {Anthoxanthum odoratum}. Wire grass,
valuable in pastures. {Poa compressa}. Wood grass, Indian grass,
hay. {Chrysopogon nutans}.

   Note: Many plants are popularly called grasses which are not
         true grasses botanically considered, such as black
         grass, goose grass, star grass, etc.

   {Black grass}, a kind of small rush ({Juncus Gerardi}),
      growing in salt marshes, used for making salt hay.

   {Grass of the Andes}, an oat grass, the {Arrhenatherum
      avenaceum} of Europe.

   {Grass of Parnassus}, a plant of the genus {Parnassia}
      growing in wet ground. The European species is {P.
      palustris}; in the United States there are several
      species.

   {Grass bass} (Zo["o]l.), the calico bass.

   {Grass bird}, the dunlin.

   {Grass cloth}, a cloth woven from the tough fibers of the
      grass-cloth plant.

   {Grass-cloth plant}, a perennial herb of the Nettle family
      ({B[oe]hmeria nivea or Urtica nivea}), which grows in
      Sumatra, China, and Assam, whose inner bark has fine and
      strong fibers suited for textile purposes.

   {Grass finch}. (Zo["o]l.)
      (a) A common American sparrow ({Po["o]c[ae]tes
          gramineus}); -- called also {vesper sparrow} and
          {bay-winged bunting}.
      (b) Any Australian finch, of the genus {Po["e]phila}, of
          which several species are known.

   {Grass lamb}, a lamb suckled by a dam running on pasture land
      and giving rich milk.

   {Grass land}, land kept in grass and not tilled.

   {Grass moth} (Zo["o]l.), one of many small moths of the genus
      {Crambus}, found in grass.

   {Grass oil}, a fragrant essential volatile oil, obtained in
      India from grasses of the genus {Andropogon}, etc.; --
      used in perfumery under the name of {citronella}, {ginger
      grass oil}, {lemon grass oil}, {essence of verbena} etc.
      

   {Grass owl} (Zo["o]l.), a South African owl ({Strix
      Capensis}).

   {Grass parrakeet} (Zo["o]l.), any of several species of
      Australian parrots, of the genus {Euphemia}; -- also
      applied to the zebra parrakeet.

   {Grass plover} (Zo["o]l.), the upland or field plover.

   {Grass poly} (Bot.), a species of willowwort ({Lythrum
      Hyssopifolia}). --Johnson.

   {Crass quit} (Zo["o]l.), one of several tropical American
      finches of the genus {Euetheia}. The males have most of
      the head and chest black and often marked with yellow.

   {Grass snake}. (Zo["o]l.)
      (a) The common English, or ringed, snake ({Tropidonotus
          natrix}).
      (b) The common green snake of the Northern United States.
          See {Green snake}, under {Green}.

   {Grass snipe} (Zo["o]l.), the pectoral sandpiper ({Tringa
      maculata}); -- called also {jacksnipe} in America.

   {Grass spider} (Zo["o]l.), a common spider ({Agelena
      n[ae]via}), which spins flat webs on grass, conspicuous
      when covered with dew.

   {Grass sponge} (Zo["o]l.), an inferior kind of commercial
      sponge from Florida and the Bahamas.

   {Grass table}. (Arch.) See {Earth table}, under {Earth}.

   {Grass vetch} (Bot.), a vetch ({Lathyrus Nissolia}), with
      narrow grasslike leaves.

   {Grass widow}. [Cf. Prov. R. an unmarried mother, G.
      strohwittwe a mock widow, Sw. gr["a]senka a grass widow.]
      (a) An unmarried woman who is a mother. [Obs.]
      (b) A woman separated from her husband by abandonment or
          prolonged absence; a woman living apart from her
          husband. [Slang.]

   {Grass wrack} (Bot.) eelgrass.

   {To bring to grass} (Mining.), to raise, as ore, to the
      surface of the ground.

   {To put to grass}, {To put out to grass}, to put out to graze
      a season, as cattle.

Source : WordNet®

Hordeum jubatum
     n : barley grown for its highly ornamental flower heads with
         delicate long silky awns; North America and northeastern
         Asia [syn: {squirreltail barley}, {foxtail barley}, {squirreltail
         grass}]