Word: bird Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Etymology tree Old English bridd Middle English brid English bird From Middle English bird, brid, from Old English bridd (“chick, fledgling, chicken”), of uncertain origin (see Old English bridd for more). Originally from a term used of birds that could not fly (chicks, fledglings, chickens) as opposed to the general Old English term for flying birds, fugol (modern fowl). Gradually replaced fowl as the most common term starting in the 14th century. The "booing/jeering" and "vulgar hand gesture" senses derived from the expression “to give the big bird”, as in “to hiss someone like a goose”, dated in the mid‐18th century. Pronunciation: /ˈbɜːd/, [ˈbɜ̝ːd], /ˈbɘːd/, [ˈbɘːd], /ˈbøːd/ 1. An animal of the clade (traditionally class) Aves in the phylum Chordata, characterized by being warm-blooded, having feathers and wings usually capable of flight, having a beaked mouth, and laying eggs. Example: Ducks and sparrows are birds. Example: The level below this is called the Phylum; birds belong to the Phylum Chordata, which includes all the vertebrate animals (the sub-phylum Vertebrata) and a few odds and ends. 2. Any winged animal. Labels: obsolete 3. A young bird, a nestling. Labels: obsolete Example: […] the foxes have holes, and the brydds of the aier have nestes, but [t]he sonne of the man hath not where onto leye his heede: […] Example: That ungentle gull, the cuckoo's bird. 4. A man, fellow. Labels: slang Example: He once took in his own mother, and was robbed by a 'pal,' who thought he was a doctor. Oh, he's a rare bird is 'Gentleman Joe'! Example: "What I mean - I expect that old, red-headed bird at the office sent you round with no other purpose." 5. A girl or woman, especially one considered sexually attractive. Labels: Ireland, UK, colloquial Example: And by my word! the bonny bird / In danger shall not tarry. Example: After tea, the bright boys wash, clean their boots, and change into their “second-best” attire, and stroll forth[…]; sometimes to saunter, in company with others, up and down that parade until they “click” with one of the “birds.” 6. A girl or woman, especially one considered sexually attractive. Labels: Ireland, UK, broadly, colloquial Example: Mike went out with his bird last night. Example: But all of a sudden though, just through the smoke / It's your bird laughing and joking with a bloke / Ain't just that either, as she moves closer / In a shape what looks like they're lovers, he's tonguing her! 7. An aircraft. Labels: slang Example: “Cabin cleaners? They have worked on this bird. Don't you know you've always got to clean up after the cleaners? What they don't teach you in school these days.” Example: Any of our birds squawking? 8. A satellite. Labels: slang Example: Deployment of the fourth bird "should ensure that Inmarsat has sufficient capacity in orbit in the early 1990s, taking into account the possibility of launch failures and the age of some of the spacecraft in the Inmarsat first generation system Example: Will a government- backed APSTAR satellite knock out a planned AsiaSat II bird? 9. Booing and jeering, especially as done by an audience expressing displeasure at a performer. Labels: UK, with-definite-article Example: to give the bird 10. The vulgar hand gesture in which the middle finger is extended. Labels: with-definite-article Example: to flip the bird Example: 2002, The Advocate, "Flying fickle finger of faith", page 55. For whatever reason — and there are so many to chose from — they flipped the bird in the direction of the tinted windows of the Bushmobile. 11. A yardbird. 12. A kilogram of cocaine. Labels: US, slang Example: Never dirt on my knees I'm just serving these fiends Sell birds to the bees I sell birds to the trees 13. A penis. Labels: Canada, Philippines, slang Example: BUBBLES: One time I was making a model and I glued the wing to a B17 bomber to my bird by accident. 14. Snowbird (retiree who moves to a warmer climate). Labels: informal