Bird

Bird, bėrd, n. a general name for feathered animals.—v.i. to catch or snare birds.—ns. Bird′-bolt (Shak.), a short thick bolt or arrow with a blunted point, used for killing birds without piercing them; Bird′-cage, a cage or box made of wire and wood for holding birds; Bird′-call, an instrument used by fowlers to call or allure birds to them, by imitating their notes; Bird′-catch′er, one who catches birds: a fowler; Bird′-catch′ing, the art or practice of catching birds; Bird′-cher′ry, a bush bearing an astringent wild-fruit in drupes.—adj. Bird′-eyed, having eyes quick of sight, like those of a bird: quick-sighted.—ns. Bird′-fan′cier, one who has a fancy for rearing birds: one who keeps birds for sale; Bird′ing (Shak.), catching birds by means of hawks trained for the purpose; Bird′ing-piece, a fowling-piece; Bird′-lime, a sticky substance used for catching birds; Bird′-of-Par′adise, a kind of Eastern bird with splendid plumage; Bird's′-eye, a kind of tobacco; Bird's′-nest, the nest in which a bird lays her eggs and hatches her young; Bird′-spī′der, a species of large spiders which prey on small birds, found in Brazil.—adj. Bird′-wit′ted, flighty: incapable of sustained attention.—Bird's-eye view, a general view from above, as if by a bird on the wing, a representation of such, a general view or résumé of a subject; Bird's-foot trefoil, the popular name of several leguminous plants, having clusters of cylindrical pods resembling a bird's foot.—A little bird told me, I heard in a way I will not reveal. [A.S. brid, the young of a bird, a bird: either from root of Breed (bredan, to breed) or of Birth (beran, to bear).]