Plural of beagle; small hound dogs with short legs, long ears, and typically brown, white, and black coloring, originally bred for hunting rabbits and hares.
From Middle French begle or begaule, possibly from Old French bé- (meaning 'open-mouthed') or Gaelic beag (small). The beagle breed became especially standardized in England during the 15th century and remains one of the most popular small hunting dogs.
Beagles were favorite hunting dogs of English royalty, including King Henry VII, and their use in hunting has been immortalized in paintings and literature for centuries—they're the working-class heroes of the dog world.
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