Ur"chin (û"ch&ibreve;n), n. [OE.
urchon, irchon, a hedgehog, OF. ireçon,
eriçon, heriçon, herichon, F.
hérisson, a derivative fr. L. ericius, from er
a hedgehog, for her; akin to Gr. chh`r. Cf.
Herisson.]
1. (Zoöl.) A hedgehog.
2. (Zoöl.) A sea urchin. See Sea
urchin.
3. A mischievous elf supposed sometimes to take the
form a hedgehog. "We 'll dress [them] like urchins, ouphes,
and fairies." Shak.
4. A pert or roguish child; -- now commonly used
only of a boy.
And the urchins that stand with their thievish
eyes
Forever on watch ran off each with a prize.
W.
Howitt.
You did indeed dissemble, you urchin you; but where's
the girl that won't dissemble for an husband?
Goldsmith.
5. One of a pair in a series of small card
cylinders, arranged around a carding drum; -- so called from its fancied
resemblance to the hedgehog. Knight.
Urchin fish (Zoöl.), a
diodon.
Ur"chin, a. Rough; pricking;
piercing. [R.] "Helping all urchin blasts."
Milton.
Ur"chin (û"ch&ibreve;n), n. [OE.
urchon, irchon, a hedgehog, OF. ireçon,
eriçon, heriçon, herichon, F.
hérisson, a derivative fr. L. ericius, from er
a hedgehog, for her; akin to Gr. chh`r. Cf.
Herisson.]
1. (Zoöl.) A hedgehog.
2. (Zoöl.) A sea urchin. See Sea
urchin.
3. A mischievous elf supposed sometimes to take the
form a hedgehog. "We 'll dress [them] like urchins, ouphes,
and fairies." Shak.
4. A pert or roguish child; -- now commonly used
only of a boy.
And the urchins that stand with their thievish
eyes
Forever on watch ran off each with a prize.
W.
Howitt.
You did indeed dissemble, you urchin you; but where's
the girl that won't dissemble for an husband?
Goldsmith.
5. One of a pair in a series of small card
cylinders, arranged around a carding drum; -- so called from its fancied
resemblance to the hedgehog. Knight.
Urchin fish (Zoöl.), a
diodon.
Ur"chin, a. Rough; pricking;
piercing. [R.] "Helping all urchin blasts."
Milton.
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