bank beaver

Bank \Bank\ (b[a^][ng]k), n. [OE. banke; akin to E. bench, and
   prob. of Scand. origin; cf. Icel. bakki. See {Bench}.]
   1. A mound, pile, or ridge of earth, raised above the
      surrounding level; hence, anything shaped like a mound or
      ridge of earth; as, a bank of clouds; a bank of snow.
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            They cast up a bank against the city. --2 Sam. xx.
                                                  15.
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   2. A steep acclivity, as the slope of a hill, or the side of
      a ravine.
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   3. The margin of a watercourse; the rising ground bordering a
      lake, river, or sea, or forming the edge of a cutting, or
      other hollow.
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            Tiber trembled underneath her banks.  --Shak.
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   4. An elevation, or rising ground, under the sea; a shoal,
      shelf, or shallow; as, the banks of Newfoundland.
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   5. (Mining)
      (a) The face of the coal at which miners are working.
      (b) A deposit of ore or coal, worked by excavations above
          water level.
      (c) The ground at the top of a shaft; as, ores are brought
          to bank.
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   6. (A["e]ronautics) The lateral inclination of an
      a["e]roplane as it rounds a curve; as, a bank of 45[deg]
      is easy; a bank of 90[deg] is dangerous.
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   7. A group or series of objects arranged near together; as, a
      bank of electric lamps, etc.
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   8. The tilt of a roadway or railroad, at a curve in the road,
      designed to counteract centrifugal forces acting on
      vehicles moving rapiudly around the curve, thus reducing
      the danger of overturning during a turn.
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   {Bank beaver} (Zool.), the otter. [Local, U.S.]

   {Bank swallow}, a small American and European swallow
      ({Clivicola riparia}) that nests in a hole which it
      excavates in a bank.
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Beaver \Bea"ver\, n. [OE. bever, AS. beofer, befer; akin to D.
   bever, OHG. bibar, G. biber, Sw. b[aum]fver, Dan. b[ae]ver,
   Lith. bebru, Russ. bobr', Gael. beabhar, Corn. befer, L.
   fiber, and Skr. babhrus large ichneumon; also as an adj.,
   brown, the animal being probably named from its color.
   [root]253. See {Brown}.]
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   1. (Zool.) An amphibious rodent, of the genus {Castor}.
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   Note: It has palmated hind feet, and a broad, flat tail. It
         is remarkable for its ingenuity in constructing its
         lodges or "houses," and dams across streams. It is
         valued for its fur, and for the material called
         {castor}, obtained from two small bags in the groin of
         the animal. The European species is {Castor fiber}, and
         the American is generally considered a variety of this,
         although sometimes called {Castor Canadensis}.
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   2. The fur of the beaver.
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   3. A hat, formerly made of the fur of the beaver, but now
      usually of silk.
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            A brown beaver slouched over his eyes. --Prescott.
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   4. Beaver cloth, a heavy felted woolen cloth, used chiefly
      for making overcoats.
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   5. A man's beard.
      [PJC]

   6. The hair on a woman's pubic area; -- vulgar. [vulgar
      slang]
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   7. A woman; -- vulgar and offensive. [vulgar slang]
      [PJC]

   8. A person who works enthusiastically and diligently; --
      used especially in the phrase {eager beaver}. [informal]
      [PJC]

   {Beaver rat} (Zool.), an aquatic ratlike quadruped of
      Tasmania ({Hydromys chrysogaster}).

   {Beaver skin}, the furry skin of the beaver.

   {Bank beaver}. See under 1st {Bank}.
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