bird

Less common meanings

4. 4
   middle fingernounwith the

   A rude hand gesture made by holding up the middle finger.

   He gave the driver the bird after getting cut off.

   She flashed the bird at the referee and got ejected.

   UsageUsually flip someone the bird, or give someone the bird.

   Note
5. 5
   young womannouncolloquialIrelandUKcountable

   In British slang, a young woman or a man's girlfriend. Some people find it rude.

   He spotted a pretty bird across the pub.

   A couple of birds were chatting by the bar.

   Similargirlfriend, girl

   Note
6. 6
   aircraftnounslangcountable

   An aircraft, such as a plane or helicopter.

   The pilot landed the bird safely despite the storm.

   That bird can carry over a hundred passengers.

   UsageOften this bird or our birds, said by crews.

   Similaraircraft, plane

   Note
7. 7
   badmintonnouncolloquialNorth Americancountablenorth american

   The light object, made of feathers or plastic, that players hit over the net in badminton.

   My little brother hit the badminton bird over the fence again.

   She hit the bird high over the badminton net.

   Similarshuttlecock, shuttle

   Note
8. 8
   personnounslangcountable

   A man or fellow.

   He's a strange old bird, but harmless enough.

   That old bird still owes me money, and he knows it.

   UsageUsually with a word like old or odd: a wise old bird.

   Similarguy, dude, fellow, bloke, chap

   Note
9. 9
   nounobsolete

   A baby bird, such as a young chicken or a chick still in its nest.

   That ungentle gull, the cuckoo's bird.

   c. 1597, William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth,”Here, bird means a baby bird, the young chick of the cuckoo.

   Note
10. 10
    huntverbintransitive

    To hunt, catch, or shoot birds.

    Similarfowl, hunt, shoot

11. 11
    satellitenounslangcountable

    A machine sent into space to go around the Earth, such as one that carries TV signals.

    Like a tiny moon that people built and sent up to circle the Earth.

    The new bird went up on a rocket last night.

    Engineers lost contact with the bird for six hours while it tumbled in orbit.

    Similarsatellite

    Note
12. 12
    booingnounUKwith the

    Loud booing and jeering from an unhappy audience.

    Halfway through his act the comedian was getting the bird, with boos and catcalls from every corner of the room.

    The referee got the bird from the home fans all afternoon.

    UsageUsually get the bird: be booed by a crowd.

13. 13
    easy courseadjectivecolloquialCanada

    So easy that you can pass with little work, said of a school or university course.

    Like a test where you already know all the answers.

    Students call it a bird course because you barely have to study.

    My friend said geology was a bird course, so I signed up for it too.

    UsageMost often a bird course: an easy class.

    Similareasy, soft

    Oppositehard, tough, difficult

    Note
14. 14
    prison timenounslangUKuncountable

    Time spent in prison.

    He did two years of bird for the robbery.

    She was scared of doing bird after the trial went badly.

    UsageSay do bird: he did two years of bird.

    Similartime

    Note
15. 15
    cocainenounslangUScountable

    One kilogram of the drug cocaine.

    He bragged that he once sold a whole bird of coke.

    He drove several birds of cocaine across the border for the cartel.

    Similarbrick, chicken

    Note
16. 16
    penisnounslangCanadaPhilippinescountable

    A man's penis.

    He covered his bird with both hands when the towel slipped.

    A wasp stung him right on the bird, and he howled.

    Similarwilly, dick

    Note
17. 17
    nouncountable

    A prisoner, especially one who does outdoor work around a prison yard.

    Similarconvict, inmate, prisoner, con

18. 18
    send by satelliteverbtransitive

    To send a TV or radio signal up to a satellite and back down to the ground.

    Like bouncing a message off a wall so a far-away friend can catch it.

    "We'll bird the pictures back to the studio," said the engineer in the satellite truck.

    The satellite truck birded the live footage to stations across the country.

    Similarbeam, uplink, transmit, relay

    Note
19. 19
    verbfigurativelyintransitive

    To hunt around for things to steal or take.

    MAMMON: These day-owls. SURLY: That are birding in men's purses

    1610, Ben[jamin] Jonson, The AlchemistHere, birding means hunting for loot, stealing from people's purses.

    Similarforage, scavenge, loot, plunder, thieve

    Note
20. 20
    verbslangtransitive

    To put someone into prison.

    Similarjail, imprison, incarcerate

    Oppositerelease, free

    Note