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Webster 1913 Edition
Beagle
Bea′gle
,Noun.
[OE.
begele
; perh. of Celtic origin; cf. Ir. & Gael. beag
small, little, W. bach
. F. bigle
is from English.] 1.
A small hound, or hunting dog, twelve to fifteen inches high, used in hunting hares and other small game. See Illustration in Appendix.
2.
Fig.: A spy or detective; a constable.
Webster 1828 Edition
Beagle
BE'AGLE
,Noun.
A small hound, or hunting dog. Beagles are of different sorts; as the southern beagle, shorter and less, but thicker, than the deep-mouthed hound; the fleet northern, or cat beagle, smaller, and of a finer shape than the southern. From these species united, is bred a third, still preferable; and a smaller sort is letter larger than the lap-dog.