field-mouse

A field-mouse gathers seeds in a grassy meadow.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A small rodent inhabiting fields: "field-mouse" refers to any of various small rodents (such as voles or certain mice) that live in fields, meadows, or grassy areas, distinct from house mice or urban rodents.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The field-mouse scurried through the tall grass, searching for seeds. (A small rodent living in fields, moving quickly through vegetation.)
  • Farmers often consider the field-mouse a pest because it damages crops. (A rodent that lives in fields and may harm agricultural plants.)

Advanced Usage

• "field-mouse" as a compound noun: This term is used to specify a habitat-based classification of mice, often in ecological or biological contexts.
  • The field-mouse population increases in autumn when food is abundant. (The number of field-dwelling rodents rises during harvest season.)

Variants and Related Words

• Field mouse (n, alternative spelling): The same as "field-mouse", often written as two words.

  • A field mouse can be distinguished from a house mouse by its larger ears and longer tail. (A rodent of fields, with distinct physical traits.)

• Harvest mouse (n): a specific type of small field-mouse known for building nests in tall grasses.

  • The harvest mouse is a tiny field-mouse that climbs stalks of wheat. (A particular species within the field-mouse group.)

Synonyms

• Vole: a type of field-mouse with a stouter body and shorter tail.
• Meadow mouse: another term for a field-mouse that inhabits grassy meadows.

Related Idioms

• As quiet as a field-mouse: used to describe someone who is very silent or unobtrusive.

  • She crept into the room as quiet as a field-mouse. (She moved with extreme stealth and silence.)

• Field-mouse in a haystack: an idiom meaning something very small and hard to find.

  • Finding that lost earring is like looking for a field-mouse in a haystack. (The task is nearly impossible due to size and concealment.)