Etymology Dictionary

BEAVER (1),  an animal.  (E.)   M.E. bever, in comp. bever-hat, Chaucer, Prol. 272.—A.S. befer, gloss to fiber; Ælf. Gloss. ed. Somner (Nomina Ferarum). + Du. bever. + Icel. bjórr. + Dan. bæver. + Swed. bäfver. + G. biber. + Russian bobr’. + Lat. fiber, a beaver.   Cf. Skt. babhru, a large ichneumon; Fick, i. 379.

BEAVER (2),  the lower part of a helmet.  (F.)   Shak. has beaver, Hamlet, i. 2. 230.—F. bavière, meaning 'the bever of an helmet;' and, primarily, a child's 'bib, mocket, or mocketer, put before the bosom of a slavering child;' Cot.   Thus, the lower part of the helmet was named from a fancied resemblance to a child's bib.—F. baver, to foam, froth, slaver; Cot.—F. bave, foam, froth, slaver, drivell; Cot.   Perhaps of Celtic origin; cf. Bret. babouz, slaver.   ¶ The derivation from Ital. bevere, to drink, is quite unfounded.   The spelling beaver is due to confusion with 'beaver hat.'

ADDENDA

BEAVER (3), BEVER,  a potation, short intermediate repast.  (F.,—L.)   'Arete.   What, at your bever, gallants?' Ben Jonson, Cynthia's Revels, Act iv.   M.E. beuer (= bever), 'drinkinge tyme, Biberrium;' Prompt. Parv.—O.F. (Anglo-French) beivre, a drink, Gaimar's Chron. l. 5868; pl. beveres, id. l. 5994.   Merely the substantival use of O.F. bevre, to drink.—Lat. bibere, to drink.   For similar examples of infin. moods as sbs., cf. leisure, pleasure, attainder, remainder.   ¶ Quite distinct from beaver (2).   It is still in use; Clare speaks of 'the bevering hour,' in his Harvest Morning, st. 7.