white ant

  • 1White ant — White White (hw[imac]t), a. [Compar. {Whiter} (hw[imac]t [ e]r); superl. {Whitest}.] [OE. whit, AS. hw[imac]t; akin to OFries. and OS. hw[=i]t, D. wit, G. weiss, OHG. w[=i]z, hw[=i]z, Icel. hv[=i]tr, Sw. hvit, Dan. hvid, Goth. hweits, Lith.… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2white ant — noun count a TERMITE …

    Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • 3white ant — white′ ant′ n. ent termite • Etymology: 1675–85 …

    From formal English to slang

  • 4white ant — n. TERMITE …

    English World dictionary

  • 5white ant — Termite Ter mite, n.; pl. {Termites}. [F. See {Termes}.] (Zo[ o]l.) Any one of numerous species of pseudoneoropterous insects belonging to {Termes} and allied genera; called also {white ant}. See Illust. of {White ant}. [1913 Webster] Note: They… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 6white-ant — ˈ ̷ ̷| ̷ ̷ transitive verb ( ed/ ing/ s) Etymology: white ant : to wreck or take over surreptitiously as if by the boring of termites : undermine by underhanded means the popular front was white anted by a Communist minority …

    Useful english dictionary

  • 7white-ant — /ˈwaɪt ænt/ (say wuyt ant) verb (t) Colloquial to subvert or undermine from within (an organisation or enterprise). –white anter, noun –white anting, noun …

  • 8white ant — /ˈwaɪt ænt/ (say wuyt ant) noun 1. any of various species of wood eating isopterous insects which, like ants, exhibit social organisation and often form enormous moist colonies; destructive of trees, wooden fences, houses, etc.; termite. –phrase… …

  • 9white-ant — /hwuyt ant , wuyt /, v.t. Australian Informal. to undermine or subvert from within. [1915 20] * * * …

    Universalium

  • 10white ant — noun whitish soft bodied ant like social insect that feeds on wood • Syn: ↑termite • Hypernyms: ↑insect • Hyponyms: ↑dry wood termite, ↑Reticulitermes flanipes, ↑Reticulitermes lucifugus, ↑ …

    Useful english dictionary