bird
♦♦ bird /b'ɜːrd/ (birds)
1 [N-COUNT]
A bird is a creature with feathers and wings. Female birds lay eggs. Most birds can fly.
2 [N-COUNT]
Some men refer to young women as birds. This use could cause offence. (BRIT INFORMAL)
3
see also early bird, game bird
4 [PHRASE] v-link PHR
If you refer to two people as birds of a feather, you mean that they have the same interests or are very similar.
5 [PHRASE]
A bird in the hand is something that you already have and do not want to risk losing by trying to get something else.
6 [PHRASE]
If you say that a little bird told you about something, you mean that someone has told you about it, but you do not want to say who it was.
7 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you say that doing something will kill two birds with one stone, you mean that it will enable you to achieve two things that you want to achieve, rather than just one.bird flu
[N-UNCOUNT]
Bird flu is a virus which can be transmitted from chickens, ducks, and other birds to people.bird of para|dise (birds of paradise)
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A bird of paradise is a songbird which is found mainly in New Guinea. The male birds have very brightly coloured feathers.bird of pas|sage (birds of passage)
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If you refer to someone as a bird of passage, you mean that they are staying in a place for a short time before going to another place.
Most of these emigrants were birds of passage who returned to Spain after a relatively short stay.bird of prey (birds of prey)
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A bird of prey is a bird such as an eagle or a hawk that kills and eats other birds and animals.bird ta|ble (bird tables)
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A bird table is a small wooden platform on a pole which some people put in their garden in order to put food for the birds on it.bird's eye view (bird's eye views)
[N-COUNT] usu sing
You say that you have a bird's eye view of a place when you are looking down at it from a great height, so that you can see a long way but everything looks very small.ear|ly bird (early birds)
1 [N-COUNT]
An early bird is someone who does something or goes somewhere very early, especially very early in the morning.
We've always been early birds, getting up at 5.30 or 6am...
2 [ADJ] ADJ n
An early bird deal or offer is one that is available at a reduced price, but which you must buy earlier than you would normally do.
Early bird discounts are usually available at the beginning of the season.game bird (game birds)
[N-COUNT] usu pl
Game birds are birds which are shot for food or for sport.wa|ter bird (water birds)
[N-COUNT]
A water bird is a bird that swims or walks in water, especially lakes and rivers. There are many kinds of water bird.
1 [N-COUNT]
A bird is a creature with feathers and wings. Female birds lay eggs. Most birds can fly.
2 [N-COUNT]
Some men refer to young women as birds. This use could cause offence. (BRIT INFORMAL)
3
see also early bird, game bird
4 [PHRASE] v-link PHR
If you refer to two people as birds of a feather, you mean that they have the same interests or are very similar.
5 [PHRASE]
A bird in the hand is something that you already have and do not want to risk losing by trying to get something else.
6 [PHRASE]
If you say that a little bird told you about something, you mean that someone has told you about it, but you do not want to say who it was.
7 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you say that doing something will kill two birds with one stone, you mean that it will enable you to achieve two things that you want to achieve, rather than just one.bird flu
[N-UNCOUNT]
Bird flu is a virus which can be transmitted from chickens, ducks, and other birds to people.bird of para|dise (birds of paradise)
[N-COUNT]
A bird of paradise is a songbird which is found mainly in New Guinea. The male birds have very brightly coloured feathers.bird of pas|sage (birds of passage)
[N-COUNT]
If you refer to someone as a bird of passage, you mean that they are staying in a place for a short time before going to another place.
Most of these emigrants were birds of passage who returned to Spain after a relatively short stay.bird of prey (birds of prey)
[N-COUNT]
A bird of prey is a bird such as an eagle or a hawk that kills and eats other birds and animals.bird ta|ble (bird tables)
[N-COUNT]
A bird table is a small wooden platform on a pole which some people put in their garden in order to put food for the birds on it.bird's eye view (bird's eye views)
[N-COUNT] usu sing
You say that you have a bird's eye view of a place when you are looking down at it from a great height, so that you can see a long way but everything looks very small.ear|ly bird (early birds)
1 [N-COUNT]
An early bird is someone who does something or goes somewhere very early, especially very early in the morning.
We've always been early birds, getting up at 5.30 or 6am...
2 [ADJ] ADJ n
An early bird deal or offer is one that is available at a reduced price, but which you must buy earlier than you would normally do.
Early bird discounts are usually available at the beginning of the season.game bird (game birds)
[N-COUNT] usu pl
Game birds are birds which are shot for food or for sport.wa|ter bird (water birds)
[N-COUNT]
A water bird is a bird that swims or walks in water, especially lakes and rivers. There are many kinds of water bird.