an animal of the weasel family (mustela / putorius furo), about fourteen inches in length, of a pale yellow or white color, with red eyes. it is a native of africa, but has been domesticated in europe. ferrets are used to drive rabbits and rats out of their holes.-to drive or hunt out of a lurking place, as a ferret does the cony; to search out by patient and sagacious efforts; -- often used with out; as, to ferret out a secret.-a kind of narrow tape, usually made of woolen; sometimes of cotton or silk; -- called also ferreting.-the iron used for trying the melted glass to see if is fit to work, and for shaping the rings at the mouths of bottles.