verb
hedgehog
HEHJ-hog
verb
1
To curl into a tight defensive ball, or to set up spiky defenses, the way a hedgehog protects itself.
"The troops hedgehogged their position with anti-tank spikes."
How to Use Hedgehog
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo defend by curling up or bristling with spikes, like the small spiny mammal does.
Memory tip
You'll usually meet "hedgehog" as a noun for the animal itself; this verb form is much rarer, mostly military or figurative.
Trace the full origin ↓Word Forms
hedgehogged past tense, hedgehogs singular
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Etymology
From Middle English heyghoge — "hedge" (because it roots around hedgerows) plus "hog" (for its pig-like snout). The military and philosophical uses of "hedgehog" come from the animal's trademark defense: curling into a spiky, impenetrable ball.