Part 5202

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

<h1>Hedge</h1> <Xpage=681>

<hw>Hedge</hw>, <tt>v. i.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>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.</def>

<blockquote>I myself sometimes, leaving the fear of God on the left hand and hiding mine honor in my necessity, am fain to shuffle, to <b>hedge</b> and to lurch. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <fld>(Betting)</fld> <def>To reduce the risk of a wager by making a bet against the side or chance one has bet on.</def>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>To use reservations and qualifications in one's speech so as to avoid committing one's self to anything definite.</def>

<blockquote>The Heroic Stanzas read much more like an elaborate attempt to <b>hedge</b> between the parties than . . . to gain favor from the Roundheads. <i>Saintsbury.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Hedgeborn</h1> <Xpage=681>

<hw>Hedge"born`</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Born under a hedge; of low birth.</def>

<i>Shak.</i>

<h1>Hedgebote</h1> <Xpage=681>

<hw>Hedge"bote`</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <fld>(Eng. Law)</fld> <def>Same as <er>Haybote</er>.</def>

<h1>Hedgehog</h1> <Xpage=681>

<hw>Hedge"hog`</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <def>A small European insectivore (<spn>Erinaceus Europ\'91us</spn>), 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.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <def>The Canadian porcupine.</def><mark>[U.S]</mark>

<p><b>3.</b> <fld>(Bot.)</fld> <def>A species of <spn>Medicago</spn> (<spn>M. intertexta</spn>), the pods of which are armed with short spines; -- popularly so called.</def>

<i>Loudon.</i>

<p><b>4.</b> <def>A form of dredging machine.</def>

<i>Knight.</i>

<cs><col>Hedgehog caterpillar</col> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld>, <cd>the hairy larv\'91 of several species of bombycid moths, as of the Isabella moth. It curls up like a hedgehog when disturbed. See <er>Woolly bear</er>, and <er>Isabella moth</er>.</cd> -- <col>Hedgehog fish</col> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld>, <cd>any spinose plectognath fish, esp. of the genus <spn>Diodon</spn>; the porcupine fish.</cd> -- <col>Hedgehog grass</col> <fld>(Bot.)</fld>, <cd>a grass with spiny involucres, growing on sandy shores; burgrass (<spn>Cenchrus tribuloides</spn>).</cd> -- <col>Hedgehog rat</col> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld>, <cd>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 <spn>Capromys</spn>, <spn>Plagiodon</spn>, and allied genera.</cd> -- <col>Hedgehog shell</col> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld>, <cd>any spinose, marine, univalve shell of the genus <spn>Murex</spn>.</cd> -- <col>Hedgehog thistle</col> <fld>(Bot.)</fld>, <cd>a plant of the Cactus family, globular in form, and covered with spines (<spn>Echinocactus</spn>).</cd> -- <col>Sea hedgehog</col>. <cd>See <er>Diodon</er>.</cd></cs>

<h1>Hedgeless</h1> <Xpage=681>

<hw>Hedge"less</hw>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Having no hedge.</def>

<h1>Hedgepig</h1> <Xpage=681>

<hw>Hedge"pig`</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>A young hedgehog.</def>

<i>Shak.</i>

<h1>Hedger</h1> <Xpage=681>

<hw>Hedg"er</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>One who makes or mends hedges; also, one who hedges, <as>as, in betting</as>.</def>

<h1>Hedgerow</h1> <Xpage=681>