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bird

bird

9 9.1
A sound of dislike made by people booing or hissing at someone
  • noun
  • /bɜrd/
  • Informal
: abucheo
  • Maybe we'll call up Gloria and give her the bird, okay?
  • flip the bird
  • give the bird
  • throw the bird

It was just like, look straight ahead, give them the bird.

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Examples

  • Calling someone a bird brain is the height of wit.

  • Did he just give our bird the bird?

  • I'm giving you the bird.

  • I'm flipping you the bird in here right now.

  • I stuck my tongue out at him and flipped him the bird.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • The boy on the tracks flipped us the bird and jumped out of sight.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • Ashley flips him the bird and burns rubber.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • Across the street, a dour-faced man in a business suit flipped me the bird.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • Then pulled away from him, twisting in our seats, some of the youngsters flashing the bird.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • The audience showed their disapproval by giving the performer the bird after his poor act.

Synonyms

boo
vsbird
44 5.9

A loud sound people make to show they do not like something

is a general gesture covering many kinds of disapproval sounds
hiss
vsbird
24 1.1

A sharp, high sound like a snake or from people showing disapproval

is broader covering both loud and quiet gestures of contempt
raspberry
vsbird
  • Offensive
7 8.4

A rude sound made by blowing air through the lips to show dislike

is a broader gesture that includes this specific lip-blown noise
hoot
vsbird
6 4.2

A loud shout from people showing anger or disapproval

is a general sign covering many forms of contempt sounds
razzing
vsbird
  • Informal
2 8.8

A loud, playful noise that people make to tease someone

is the wider gesture category that covers such mocking noises
razz
vsbird
  • Informal
1 9.9

A sound made to make fun of someone, like a raspberry

is the general disapproval sound category including this mocking cry
Bronx cheer
vsbird
  • Offensive
1 9.6

A rude loud sound made by blowing through closed lips to show you do not like something

is the wider act of showing contempt by sound or gesture

Idioms

to flip the bird
  • Offensive
7 9.9

To show anger by holding up the middle finger at someone

a little bird
  • Informal
3 8.5

Someone told the speaker something without saying who

2 8.1

You say this when you hear something but do not say who told you

People who act early are more likely to succeed

1 6.0

To eat only a very small amount of food

9.7

A thing someone keeps in their heart that brings comfort

Compounds

28 2.8

A person who gets up or arrives early to gain an advantage

14 1.0

A very young bird without enough feathers to fly or leave the nest

9 1.4

A container hung outside that holds food for wild birds

7 3.8

A bird that hunts and eats other animals, like eagles or hawks

7 2.8

A person who watches wild birds for fun or study

5 1.0

A place where a bird lays eggs and takes care of its baby birds

4 7.2

A dog that finds and brings back birds for hunters

rare bird
  • Informal
4 7.7

A person who is not like most people in behavior or ideas

A bird that cannot fly, for example an ostrich or kiwi

A tropical plant with bright flowers that look like a bird in flight

3 2.0

A bird that lives near the sea, like a gull

A place where birds are protected so people can see them

3 4.3

A bird active at night, like an owl

2 1.2

A baby bird that is not yet an adult

2 9.5

A large sea bird with long wings that looks clumsy on land

bird shot
  • Specialized
2 5.8

Small round lead pellets used in shotgun shells to hunt small birds

2 3.2

A bird like a pheasant that people hunt for food or sport

1 4.0

A bird that walks in shallow water to feed on beaches and river mouths

mynah bird
  • Indian
1 7.5

A tropical bird from Asia that copies human speech and is often kept as a pet

1 1.7

A bird that lives in or near fresh water like lakes and rivers

1 1.0

Food made or mixed for birds, often seeds and grains

1 7.8

Large tropical seabird with long wings and a forked tail that often steals food from other birds while flying

bird of paradise
  • Australian
1 6.3

A brightly colored bird from New Guinea with showy feathers and a special mating dance

1 1.3

A small yellow songbird often kept as a pet for its singing

1 3.6

A bird with long legs that stands in shallow water to catch fish and insects

myna bird
  • Indian
1 7.3

A tropical Asian bird with glossy black feathers that copies sounds

1 1.4

Food for birds, usually a mix of seeds and grains

1 3.5

A bird that lives near water and can swim, wade or dive

yard bird
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A new soldier who does only boring chores as punishment

1 8.4

A person who is very hurt inside and finds it hard to trust others

dickey-bird
  • Baby Talk
1 9.9

A small bird adults call when talking to children

scrub bird
  • Australian
1 9.5

A small Australian bird like a wren that runs fast in low dense bushes

queer bird
  • Archaic
1 9.4

A person who acts in an odd or unusual way

bird-footed dinosaur
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A dinosaur that eats meat and has short front legs and strong back legs for running

A bird that travels to another region each year

bird family
  • Specialized
1 4.7

A group of related birds that share similar body shape and habits

A very large bird from Madagascar that could not fly and lived long ago

perching bird
  • Specialized
1 5.7

A bird with feet that hold onto branches, like a robin or sparrow

widow bird
  • South African
1 9.8

A mostly black African bird whose male has very long tail feathers

1 8.1

A small songbird from North America with bright blue male feathers

gallinaceous bird
  • Specialized
1 8.6

A heavy ground bird like a chicken kept for meat or sport

1 7.9

A small wild cherry tree with red or black fruit that birds often eat

ratite bird
  • Specialized
1 9.0

A large flightless bird like an ostrich or emu with a flat breastbone

bird app
  • Texting
1 8.2

An app or website where people post short public messages, like Twitter

1 8.2

A mostly white sea bird with webbed feet and long tail feathers that lives in warm seas far from land

secretary bird
  • South African
1 8.4

A large African bird with long legs and feathers on its head that walks to hunt snakes and small animals

A person who moves from place to place and does not settle

1 8.9

A small plant from Central America with tiny red fruits that are very hot to eat

1 7.0

A bird that lives mainly on the open sea far from land

bird of night
  • Archaic
1 7.1

A bird active at night that hunts small animals, for example an owl

bird louse
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A small wingless insect that lives on birds and bites their skin or feathers

pelagic bird
  • Specialized
1 8.4

A bird that lives and travels far out at sea

1 7.6

A person who keeps and cares for birds as a hobby

oscine bird
  • Specialized
1 9.5

A bird that makes complex songs with a special part in its throat

anseriform bird
  • Specialized
1 8.9

A bird with webbed feet that swims, like ducks, geese, and swans

1 9.9

A large black tropical bird with a high crest and a long feathered neck wattle

6.8

A small bird with a bright blue patch on its head often seen in gardens

A mostly white tropical bird with webbed feet and long tail feathers that lives at sea

A small cherry tree with small berries that birds eat

bird of Jove
  • Archaic
9.9

A poetic name for an eagle that often stands for power

bird of Juno
  • Archaic
9.9

A large bird from Southeast Asia that people keep for bright feathers and beauty

A climbing plant with dense groups of purple-blue flowers often found in fields and gardens

A small forest plant with leaves like wintergreen and pink-purple flowers

A thing that people put in fields to keep birds away from crops

caprimulgiform bird
  • Specialized
9.9

A long-winged night bird like a nightjar that eats insects in the air

carinate bird
  • Specialized
6.9

A bird with a raised ridge on its breastbone that holds strong wing muscles

columbiform bird
  • Specialized
9.9

A bird like a pigeon or dove with a small head and short legs

A small European tree with clusters of sweet-smelling white flowers and black fruit eaten by birds

coraciiform bird
  • Specialized
9.9

A short-legged bird that lives in trees and usually nests in holes

A bird in the crow family like a crow or raven

A small African bird that eats bugs from crocodiles' mouths

cuculiform bird
  • Specialized
9.9

A bird like a cuckoo or roadrunner with two toes pointing forward and two back for perching securely

adjutant bird
  • Indian
9.9

A large stork that stands tall and walks upright in India

How Derisive

jeer
  • Offensive
7 7.5
boo
44 5.9
bird
  • Informal
9 9.1
to hiss
2 4.2
tut
17 8.8

Surface Forms

bird singular
birds plural

Etymology

Bird meaning a boo or hiss (to 'give the bird') probably comes from audiences making a bird-like noise to show dislike, so 'getting the bird' means being loudly booed by a crowd.