| • | A thicket of bushes, usually thorn bushes; especially, such
   a thicket planted as a fence between any two portions of land; and also
   any sort of shrubbery, as evergreens, planted in a line or as a fence;
   particularly, such a thicket planted round a field to fence it, or in
   rows to separate the parts of a garden. | 
											
															| • | To inclose or separate with a hedge; to fence with a
   thickly set line or thicket of shrubs or small trees; as, to hedge a
   field or garden. | 
											
															| • | To obstruct, as a road, with a barrier; to hinder from
   progress or success; -- sometimes with up and out. | 
											
															| • | To surround for defense; to guard; to protect; to hem
   (in). | 
											
															| • | To surround so as to prevent escape. | 
											
															| • | To shelter one's self from danger, risk, duty,
   responsibility, etc., as if by hiding in or behind a hedge; to skulk;
   to slink; to shirk obligations. | 
											
															| • | To reduce the risk of a wager by making a bet against the
   side or chance one has bet on. | 
											
															| • | To use reservations and qualifications in one's speech so
   as to avoid committing one's self to anything definite. |