'Devil bird' definitions:

Definition of 'Devil bird'

From: GCIDE
  • Devil \Dev"il\, n. [AS. de['o]fol, de['o]ful; akin to G. ?eufel, Goth. diaba['u]lus; all fr. L. diabolus the devil, Gr. ? the devil, the slanderer, fr. ? to slander, calumniate, orig., to throw across; ? across + ? to throw, let fall, fall; cf. Skr. gal to fall. Cf. Diabolic.]
  • 1. The Evil One; Satan, represented as the tempter and spiritual of mankind. [1913 Webster]
  • [Jesus] being forty days tempted of the devil. --Luke iv. 2. [1913 Webster]
  • That old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world. --Rev. xii. 9. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. An evil spirit; a demon. [1913 Webster]
  • A dumb man possessed with a devil. --Matt. ix. 32. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. A very wicked person; hence, any great evil. "That devil Glendower." "The devil drunkenness." --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? --John vi. 70. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. An expletive of surprise, vexation, or emphasis, or, ironically, of negation. [Low] [1913 Webster]
  • The devil a puritan that he is, . . . but a timepleaser. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • The things, we know, are neither rich nor rare, But wonder how the devil they got there. --Pope. [1913 Webster]
  • 5. (Cookery) A dish, as a bone with the meat, broiled and excessively peppered; a grill with Cayenne pepper. [1913 Webster]
  • Men and women busy in baking, broiling, roasting oysters, and preparing devils on the gridiron. --Sir W. Scott. [1913 Webster]
  • 6. (Manuf.) A machine for tearing or cutting rags, cotton, etc. [1913 Webster]
  • Blue devils. See under Blue.
  • Cartesian devil. See under Cartesian.
  • Devil bird (Zool.), one of two or more South African drongo shrikes (Edolius retifer, and Edolius remifer), believed by the natives to be connected with sorcery.
  • Devil may care, reckless, defiant of authority; -- used adjectively. --Longfellow.
  • Devil's apron (Bot.), the large kelp ({Laminaria saccharina}, and Laminaria longicruris) of the Atlantic ocean, having a blackish, leathery expansion, shaped somewhat like an apron.
  • Devil's coachhorse. (Zool.) (a) The black rove beetle (Ocypus olens). [Eng.] (b) A large, predacious, hemipterous insect ({Prionotus cristatus}); the wheel bug. [U.S.]
  • Devil's darning-needle. (Zool.) See under Darn, v. t.
  • Devil's fingers, Devil's hand (Zool.), the common British starfish (Asterias rubens); -- also applied to a sponge with stout branches. [Prov. Eng., Irish & Scot.]
  • Devil's riding-horse (Zool.), the American mantis ({Mantis Carolina}).
  • The Devil's tattoo, a drumming with the fingers or feet. "Jack played the Devil's tattoo on the door with his boot heels." --F. Hardman (Blackw. Mag.).
  • Devil worship, worship of the power of evil; -- still practiced by barbarians who believe that the good and evil forces of nature are of equal power.
  • Printer's devil, the youngest apprentice in a printing office, who runs on errands, does dirty work (as washing the ink rollers and sweeping), etc. "Without fearing the printer's devil or the sheriff's officer." --Macaulay.
  • Tasmanian devil (Zool.), a very savage carnivorous marsupial of Tasmania (Dasyurus ursinus syn. {Diabolus ursinus}).
  • To play devil with, to molest extremely; to ruin. [Low] [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Devil bird'

From: GCIDE
  • Devil-diver \Dev"il-div`er\, Devil bird \Dev"il bird`\, n.. (Zool.) A small water bird. See Dabchick. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'devil bird'

From: GCIDE
  • Swift \Swift\, n.
  • 1. The current of a stream. [R.] --Walton. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. (Zool.) Any one of numerous species of small, long-winged, insectivorous birds of the family Micropodidae. In form and habits the swifts resemble swallows, but they are destitute of complex vocal muscles and are not singing birds, but belong to a widely different group allied to the humming birds. [1913 Webster]
  • Note: The common European swift (Cypselus apus syn. Micropus apus) nests in church steeples and under the tiles of roofs, and is noted for its rapid flight and shrill screams. It is called also black martin, black swift, hawk swallow, devil bird, swingdevil, screech martin, and shriek owl. The common American, or chimney, swift ({Chaetura pelagica}) has sharp rigid tips to the tail feathers. It attaches its nest to the inner walls of chimneys, and is called also chimney swallow. The Australian swift (Chaetura caudacuta) also has sharp naked tips to the tail quills. The European Alpine swift (Cypselus melba) is whitish beneath, with a white band across the breast. The common Indian swift is Cypselus affinis. See also Palm swift, under Palm, and Tree swift, under Tree. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. (Zool.) Any one of several species of lizards, as the pine lizard. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. (Zool.) The ghost moth. See under Ghost. [1913 Webster]
  • 5. [Cf. Swivel.] A reel, or turning instrument, for winding yarn, thread, etc.; -- used chiefly in the plural. [1913 Webster]
  • 6. The main card cylinder of a flax-carding machine. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'devil bird'

From: GCIDE
  • King \King\, n. [AS. cyng, cyning; akin to OS. kuning, D. koning, OHG. kuning, G. k["o]nig, Icel. konungr, Sw. konung, Dan. konge; formed with a patronymic ending, and fr. the root of E. kin; cf. Icel. konr a man of noble birth. [root]44. See Kin.]
  • 1. A chief ruler; a sovereign; one invested with supreme authority over a nation, country, or tribe, usually by hereditary succession; a monarch; a prince. "Ay, every inch a king." --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • Kings will be tyrants from policy, when subjects are rebels from principle. --Burke. [1913 Webster]
  • There was a State without king or nobles. --R. Choate. [1913 Webster]
  • But yonder comes the powerful King of Day, Rejoicing in the east --Thomson. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. One who, or that which, holds a supreme position or rank; a chief among competitors; as, a railroad king; a money king; the king of the lobby; the king of beasts. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. A playing card having the picture of a king[1]; as, the king of diamonds. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. The chief piece in the game of chess. [1913 Webster]
  • 5. A crowned man in the game of draughts. [1913 Webster]
  • 6. pl. The title of two historical books in the Old Testament. [1913 Webster]
  • Note: King is often used adjectively, or in combination, to denote pre["e]minence or superiority in some particular; as, kingbird; king crow; king vulture. [1913 Webster]
  • Apostolic king. See Apostolic.
  • King-at-arms, or King-of-arms, the chief heraldic officer of a country. In England the king-at-arms was formerly of great authority. His business is to direct the heralds, preside at their chapters, and have the jurisdiction of armory. There are three principal kings-at-arms, viz., Garter, Clarencieux, and Norroy. The latter (literally north roy or north king) officiates north of the Trent.
  • King auk (Zool.), the little auk or sea dove.
  • King bird of paradise. (Zool.), See Bird of paradise.
  • King card, in whist, the best unplayed card of each suit; thus, if the ace and king of a suit have been played, the queen is the king card of the suit.
  • King Cole, a legendary king of Britain, who is said to have reigned in the third century.
  • King conch (Zool.), a large and handsome univalve shell (Cassis cameo), found in the West Indies. It is used for making cameos. See Helmet shell, under Helmet.
  • King Cotton, a popular personification of the great staple production of the southern United States.
  • King crab. (Zool.) (a) The limulus or horseshoe crab. See Limulus. (b) The large European spider crab or thornback ({Maia squinado}). (c) A large crab of the northern Pacific ({Paralithodes camtshatica}), especially abundant on the coasts of Alaska and Japan, and popular as a food; called also Alaskan king crab.
  • King crow. (Zool.) (a) A black drongo shrike (Buchanga atra) of India; -- so called because, while breeding, they attack and drive away hawks, crows, and other large birds. (b) The Dicrurus macrocercus of India, a crested bird with a long, forked tail. Its color is black, with green and blue reflections. Called also devil bird.
  • King duck (Zool.), a large and handsome eider duck (Somateria spectabilis), inhabiting the arctic regions of both continents.
  • King eagle (Zool.), an eagle (Aquila heliaca) found in Asia and Southeastern Europe. It is about as large as the golden eagle. Some writers believe it to be the imperial eagle of Rome.
  • King hake (Zool.), an American hake (Phycis regius), found in deep water along the Atlantic coast.
  • King monkey (Zool.), an African monkey ({Colobus polycomus}), inhabiting Sierra Leone.
  • King mullet (Zool.), a West Indian red mullet ({Upeneus maculatus}); -- so called on account of its great beauty. Called also goldfish.
  • King of terrors, death.
  • King parrakeet (Zool.), a handsome Australian parrakeet (Platycercys scapulatus), often kept in a cage. Its prevailing color is bright red, with the back and wings bright green, the rump blue, and tail black.
  • King penguin (Zool.), any large species of penguin of the genus Aptenodytes; esp., Aptenodytes longirostris, of the Falkland Islands and Kerguelen Land, and {Aptenodytes Patagonica}, of Patagonia.
  • King rail (Zool.), a small American rail ({Rallus elegans}), living in fresh-water marshes. The upper parts are fulvous brown, striped with black; the breast is deep cinnamon color.
  • King salmon (Zool.), the quinnat. See Quinnat.
  • King's counsel, or Queen's counsel (Eng. Law), barristers learned in the law, who have been called within the bar, and selected to be the king's or queen's counsel. They answer in some measure to the advocates of the revenue (advocati fisci) among the Romans. They can not be employed against the crown without special license. --Wharton's Law Dict.
  • King's cushion, a temporary seat made by two persons crossing their hands. [Prov. Eng.] --Halliwell.
  • The king's English, correct or current language of good speakers; pure English. --Shak.
  • King's evidence or Queen's evidence, testimony in favor of the Crown by a witness who confesses his guilt as an accomplice. See under Evidence. [Eng.]
  • King's evil, scrofula; -- so called because formerly supposed to be healed by the touch of a king.
  • King snake (Zool.), a large, nearly black, harmless snake (Ophiobolus getulus) of the Southern United States; -- so called because it kills and eats other kinds of snakes, including even the rattlesnake.
  • King's spear (Bot.), the white asphodel ({Asphodelus albus}).
  • King's yellow, a yellow pigment, consisting essentially of sulphide and oxide of arsenic; -- called also {yellow orpiment}.
  • King tody (Zool.), a small fly-catching bird ({Eurylaimus serilophus}) of tropical America. The head is adorned with a large, spreading, fan-shaped crest, which is bright red, edged with black.
  • King vulture (Zool.), a large species of vulture (Sarcorhamphus papa), ranging from Mexico to Paraguay, The general color is white. The wings and tail are black, and the naked carunculated head and the neck are briliantly colored with scarlet, yellow, orange, and blue. So called because it drives away other vultures while feeding.
  • King wood, a wood from Brazil, called also violet wood, beautifully streaked in violet tints, used in turning and small cabinetwork. The tree is probably a species of Dalbergia. See Jacaranda. [1913 Webster]