hairy
part of speech
adjective (hairy, hairier, hairiest)
meaning for a pupil
1) Hairy means covered in a lot of hair. tree →
2) Informally, hairy means frightening or dangerous, often in an exciting way («a hairy moment»). tree →
sense in the lessons
In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: Esau's hairiness is part of the tale in which Jacob wins the blessing. Esau's name is also linked with the red, hairy look of his birth. Elijah is called a hairy man, wearing a leather belt, and false prophets are warned against wearing a hairy mantle to deceive. Interpretation: The sages read Esau's rough body as showing his rough nature, while Jacob is the smooth, quiet man. A hairy mantle is read as the clothing of a prophet, so false prophets would not dare to wear it. In the primary lessons: In science it describes animals and plants (hairy caterpillars, hairy leaves, hairy spiders). In everyday life and stories it describes people's arms, legs, chests and pets, and in informal speech a scary situation, like a close call on a bike or in the car. Phrases: «a hairy moment», «things got a bit hairy».
examples
- And the first came forth ruddy, all over like a hairy mantle; and they called his name Esau. (Torah GEN.25.25, JPS 1917) tree →
- And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands; so he blessed him. (Torah GEN.27.23, JPS 1917) tree →
- And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother: 'Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. (Torah GEN.27.11, JPS 1917) tree →
- Surely God will smite through the head of His enemies, the hairy scalp of him that goeth about in his guiltiness. (Writings PSA.68.22, JPS 1917) tree →
- And they answered him: 'He was a hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins.' And he said: 'It is Elijah the Tishbite.' (Prophets 2KI.1.8, JPS 1917) tree →
- And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be brought to shame every one through his vision, when he prophesieth; neither shall they wear a hairy mantle to deceive; (Prophets ZEC.13.4, JPS 1917) tree →
- My dad has very hairy arms. tree →
- The hairy caterpillar can make your skin itch, so do not touch it. tree →
- Our dog is so hairy that the sofa is covered in fur. tree →
- Some plants have hairy leaves that keep insects away. tree →
- The ride down the steep hill was a bit hairy. tree →
- Things got hairy when the boat started to tip. tree →
- A tarantula is a big, hairy spider. tree →
- Coconuts have a hairy brown shell. tree →
- ‘Oh! what hairy arms you’ve got, Grandmother!’ tree →
note
Comparative «hairier», superlative «hairiest». The informal sense is casual speech, not for formal writing. Do not confuse with «hare» (an animal like a big rabbit). Safety: some hairy caterpillars can sting or cause a rash.
In the corpora
- And the first came forth ruddy, all over like a hairy mantle; and they called his name Esau.
- And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands; so he blessed him.
- Surely God will smite through the head of His enemies, the hairy scalp of him that goeth about in his guiltiness.
- The hairs of some caterpillars, such as the oak processionary, cause rashes, so you do not touch hairy caterpillars.
- Bees feed on nectar and pollen, and carry pollen from flower to flower on their hairy bodies.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «hairy» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.