guinea-pig

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guinea-pig

In naval mine warfare, a ship used to determine whether an area can be considered safe from influence mines under certain conditions or, specifically, to detonate pressure mines.

Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. US Department of Defense 2005.

Translations

guinea-pig

(ˈginipig) noun

1. a small animal, like a rabbit, with short ears and often kept as a pet.

2. a person used as the subject of an experiment. He was used as a guinea-pig for the new drug.

References in classic literature ?

He tells me his favorite fairy-tales, he can do up to six times, and he has a guinea-pig, and pa says fairy-tales ain't true; and isn't it a pity?

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The poor little Lizard, Bill, was in the middle, being held up by two guinea-pigs, who were giving it something out of a bottle.

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He then took the cabbage to the room where he had rabbits -- for the Abbe Adelmonte had a collection of rabbits, cats, and guinea-pigs, fully as fine as his collection of vegetables, flowers, and fruit.