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. Hedgeborn
(Hedge"born`) a. Born under a hedge; of low birth. Shak.
Hedgebote
(Hedge"bote`) n. (Eng. Law) Same as Haybote.
Hedgehog
(Hedge"hog`) n.
1. (Zoöl.) A small European insectivore (Erinaceus Europæus), 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. (Zoöl.) The Canadian porcupine.[U.S]
3. (Bot.) A species of Medicago the pods of which are armed with short spines; — popularly so called.
Loudon.
4. A form of dredging machine. Knight.
Hedgehog caterpillar (Zoöl.), the hairy larvæ 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 (Zoöl.), 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 — Hedgehog rat
(Zoöl.), 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 (Zoöl.), 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 — Sea hedgehog. See Diodon.
