bird's foot
1
2.6
- noun
- /bɜrdz fʊt/
- The bird's foot gripped the branch tightly as it perched overhead.
Examples
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Scientists studied the structure of the bird's foot to understand how it helps in walking and swimming.
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The bird's foot was covered in mud.
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The injured bird's foot made it difficult for the animal to land safely.
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Look at the size of that bird's foot!
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The bird's foot helped it grasp branches tightly as it perched on a tree.
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During the nature hike, we noticed the bird's foot prints in the soft mud near the stream.
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The eagle's bird's foot is designed for catching prey with its sharp claws.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
The lower part of the leg below the ankle that supports standing and walking
6
3.0
A foot with skin between the toes that helps animals swim
1
1.8
The lowest part of an animal's leg used for standing or walking
A bird foot with two toes pointing forward and two pointing backward
A bird foot with the first two toes pointing backward and the other two pointing forward
A foot with flaps on each toe that helps a bird swim
A foot with skin between the toes that helps animals like ducks or frogs swim
The end part of an animal leg used for standing and for moving, like a human foot, hoof or claw
Surface Forms
Morphology
bird's + foot
The phrase is fully compositional: 'bird's' is the possessive of 'bird' (of a bird) and 'foot' is the body part, so the meaning 'the foot of a bird' is directly derivable from the constituents. This possessive noun+N construction is common and cross-linguistically transparent, so a B1 learner who knows 'bird' and 'foot' will understand it.
Etymology
Bird's foot paints a simple picture: a bird's foot has toes and claws that grip branches or help it swim. So it means 'the foot of a bird'.