shrew

• Nom désignant soit un petit mammifère insectivore ressemblant à une souris, au museau allongé, proche des taupes ; soit une femme querelleuse, acariâtre et méchante.

A noun with two distinct meanings: a small, mouselike mammal with a long snout, related to moles; or a scolding, nagging, bad-tempered woman.

1. Small mammalB2formal

   A small, mouse-like mammal with a long pointed snout, belonging to the family Soricidae, related to moles.

   Musaraigne

   • A shrew scurried across the forest floor.
   • Shrews have a very high metabolism and must eat frequently.
   • The naturalist identified the tiny creature as a common shrew.

   Synonymesshrewmouse

2. Bad-tempered womanC1informal

   An old-fashioned term for a woman who is argumentative, nagging, or ill-tempered.

   femme acariâtre

   • In the play, the main character is a notorious shrew.
   • He complained that his neighbor was a real shrew.
   • The term 'shrew' is now considered outdated and offensive.

   Synonymesfishwifegorgonharridannagscoldtermagantvirago