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 ( bred an , to breed) or of Birth ( beran , to bear).]