To squirrel away something (or squirrel something away) is to store something (especially money) in a safe or secret place so you can use it later.
A squirrel is a tree-dwelling rodent with a long bushy tail, that eats mainly nuts, berries and seeds.
Squirrels bury nuts and other food underground in autumn. During the cold winter months they eat these hidden stores of food. This is the origin of the phrasal verb squirrel away.
Examples of use:
1. After their grandmother died they discovered she had been squirrelling money away under her bed.
2. She managed to squirrel away enough money to buy a new car.
3. News headline: Monkeys squirrel away zoo visitors’ designer sunglasses.
4. He had £60,000 squirrelled away in a secret bank account.
| infinitive |
squirrel away |
| present simple |
squirrel away and squirrels away |
| -ing form |
squirrelling away (American English – squirreling away) |
| past simple |
squirrelled away (American English – squirreled away) |
| past participle |
squirrelled away (American English – squirreled away) |
Can you use this phrasal verb in a sentence?
Have you squirrelled something away?
Image © s shepherd
