Part 776

3. To surround for defense; to guard; to protect; to hem (in). "England, hedged in with the main." Shak.

4. To surround so as to prevent escape.

That is a law to hedge in the cuckoo.

Locke.

To hedge a bet, to bet upon both sides; that is, after having bet on one side, to bet also on the other, thus guarding against loss.

Hedge, v. i. 1. To shelter one's self from danger, risk, duty, responsibility, etc., as if by hiding in or behind a hedge; to skulk; to slink; to shirk obligations.

I myself sometimes, leaving the fear of God on the left hand and hiding mine honor in my necessity, am fain to shuffle, to hedge and to lurch.

Shak.

2. (Betting) To reduce the risk of a wager by making a bet against the side or chance one has bet on.

3. To use reservations and qualifications in one's speech so as to avoid committing one's self to anything definite.

The Heroic Stanzas read much more like an elaborate attempt to hedge between the parties than . . . to gain favor from the Roundheads.

Saintsbury.

Hedge"born` (?), a. Born under a hedge; of low birth. Shak.

Hedge"bote` (?), n. (Eng. Law) Same as Haybote.

Hedge"hog` (?), n. 1. (Zoˆl.) A small European insectivore (Erinaceus EuropÊus), and other allied species of Asia and Africa, having the hair on the upper part of its body mixed with prickles or spines. It is able to roll itself into a ball so as to present the spines outwardly in every direction. It is nocturnal in its habits, feeding chiefly upon insects.

2. (Zoˆl.) The Canadian porcupine.[U.S]

3. (Bot.) A species of Medicago (M. intertexta), the pods of which are armed with short spines; -- popularly so called. Loudon.

4. A form of dredging machine. Knight.

Hedgehog caterpillar (Zoˆl.), the hairy larvÊ of several species of bombycid moths, as of the Isabella moth. It curls up like a hedgehog when disturbed. See Woolly bear, and Isabella moth. -- Hedgehog fish (Zoˆl.), any spinose plectognath fish, esp. of the genus Diodon; the porcupine fish. -- Hedgehog grass (Bot.), a grass with spiny involucres, growing on sandy shores; burgrass (Cenchrus tribuloides). -- Hedgehog rat (Zoˆl.), one of several West Indian rodents, allied to the porcupines, but with ratlike tails, and few quills, or only stiff bristles. The hedgehog rats belong to Capromys, Plagiodon, and allied genera. -- Hedgehog shell (Zoˆl.), any spinose, marine, univalve shell of the genus Murex. -- Hedgehog thistle (Bot.), a plant of the Cactus family, globular in form, and covered with spines (Echinocactus). -- Sea hedgehog. See Diodon.

Hedge"less, a. Having no hedge.

Hedge"pig` (?), n. A young hedgehog. Shak.

Hedg"er (?), n. One who makes or mends hedges; also, one who hedges, as, in betting.

Hedge"row` (?), n. A row of shrubs, or trees, planted for inclosure or separation of fields.

By hedgerow elms and hillocks green.

Milton.

Hedg"ing bill` (?). A hedge bill. See under Hedge.

He*don"ic (?), a. [Gr. &?;, fr. &?; pleasure, &?; sweet, pleasant.] 1. Pertaining to pleasure.

2. Of or relating to Hedonism or the Hedonic sect.