SQUIRRELLING Meaning and
Definition
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Squirrelling refers to the action or behavior of squirrels as they gather and store food for future consumption. It is a verb derived from the noun "squirrel," which is a small, agile rodent typically found in trees and known for its ability to hoard food.
In a broader context, "squirrelling" can also be used metaphorically to describe the action of individuals who engage in compulsive or excessive hoarding or collecting behavior. This can apply to both material possessions and intangible things like money, information, or knowledge.
The act of squirrelling entails the rigorous collection, storage, and hiding of food items by squirrels. They often acquire nuts, seeds, and berries during periods of abundance and natural surplus. The collected food is then thoroughly concealed in various locations, such as tree hollows, underground burrows, or hidden caches, for future use, typically during the winter or scarcity.
In human behavior, squirrelling may involve the excessive accumulation of objects or resources due to a fear of shortage or a desire for security. This behavior can be driven by various factors, including emotional attachment, compulsion, or a perceived need for preparedness. Squirrelling can sometimes lead to negative consequences, such as cluttered living spaces, financial strain, or social isolation, just as it can impact the efficiency of foraging for squirrels when they cannot locate their hidden reserves.
In summary, squirrelling encompasses both the natural behavior of squirrels to gather and store food for survival and the metaphorical representation of individuals who exhibit excessive hoarding or collecting tendencies.
Etymology of SQUIRRELLING
The word "squirrelling" is derived from the noun "squirrel", which refers to a small, bushy-tailed rodent known for its habit of hoarding food. The verb form "squirrelling" is a gerund derived from the noun, and it has come to mean the act of collecting and storing things in a secretive or possessive manner, much like how squirrels gather and hide nuts. The term is often used metaphorically to describe someone who is accumulating or saving items or information obsessively or excessively.
Conjugate verb Squirrelling
CONDITIONAL
I
would squirrelling
you
would squirrelling
he/she/it
would squirrelling
we
would squirrelling
they
would squirrelling
CONDITIONAL CONTINUOUS
I
would be squirreling
you
would be squirreling
he/she/it
would be squirreling
we
would be squirreling
they
would be squirreling
CONDITIONAL PERFECT
I
would have squirrelling
you
would have squirrelling
he/she/it
would have squirrelling
we
would have squirrelling
they
would have squirrelling
CONDITIONAL PERFECT CONTINUOUS
I
would have been squirreling
you
would have been squirreling
he/she/it
would have been squirreling
we
would have been squirreling
they
would have been squirreling
FUTURE
I
will squirrel
you
will squirrel
he/she/it
will squirrel
we
will squirrel
they
will squirrel
FUTURE CONTINUOUS
I
will be squirreling
you
will be squirreling
he/she/it
will be squirreling
we
will be squirreling
they
will be squirreling
FUTURE PERFECT
I
will have squirreled
you
will have squirreled
he/she/it
will have squirreled
we
will have squirreled
they
will have squirreled
FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS
I
will have been squirreling
you
will have been squirreling
he/she/it
will have been squirreling
we
will have been squirreling
they
will have been squirreling
IMPERATIVE
you
squirrel
we
let´s squirrel
to squirrel
PAST
I
squirreled
you
squirreled
he/she/it
squirreled
we
squirreled
they
squirreled
PAST CONTINUOUS
I
was squirreling
you
were squirreling
he/she/it
was squirreling
we
were squirreling
they
were squirreling
PAST PARTICIPLE
squirreled
PAST PERFECT
I
had squirreled
you
had squirreled
he/she/it
had squirreled
we
had squirreled
they
had squirreled
PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
I
had been squirreling
you
had been squirreling
he/she/it
had been squirreling
we
had been squirreling
they
had been squirreling
PRESENT
I
squirrel
you
squirrel
he/she/it
squirrels
we
squirrel
they
squirrel
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
I
am squirreling
you
are squirreling
he/she/it
is squirreling
we
are squirreling
they
are squirreling
PRESENT PARTICIPLE
squirreling
PRESENT PERFECT
I
have squirreled
you
have squirreled
he/she/it
has squirreled
we
have squirreled
they
have squirreled
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
I
have been squirreling
you
have been squirreling
he/she/it
has been squirreling
we
have been squirreling
they
have been squirreling
