spring chicken

spring chicken
Chicken Chick"en, n. [AS. cicen, cyceun, dim. of coc cock; akin to LG. kiken, k["u]ken, D. Kieken, kuiken, G. k["u]chkein. See {Cock} the animal.] 1. A young bird or fowl, esp. a young barnyard fowl. [1913 Webster]

2. A young person; a child; esp. a young woman; a maiden; same as {spring chicken}. ``Stella is no chicken.'' --Swift. [1913 Webster]

{Chicken cholera}, a contagious disease of fowls; -- so called because first studied during the prevalence of a cholera epidemic in France. It has no resemblance to true cholera. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • spring chicken — ► NOUN 1) informal a young person: I m no spring chicken. 2) a young chicken for eating (originally available only in spring) …   English terms dictionary

  • spring chicken — spring chickens PHRASE: usu v link PHR If you say that someone is no spring chicken, you are saying that they are not young. [HUMOROUS] At 85, he is no spring chicken, but Henry Cook is busier than ever …   English dictionary

  • spring chicken — n sb is no spring chicken used to say that someone is no longer young used humorously …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • spring chicken — noun singular be no spring chicken HUMOROUS to be rather old …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • spring chicken — Someone who s a spring chicken is very young, often inexperienced …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • spring chicken — ☆ spring chicken n. 1. a young chicken, esp. one used for broiling or frying 2. Slang a young or inexperienced person …   English World dictionary

  • spring chicken — /sprɪŋ ˈtʃɪkən/ (say spring chikuhn) noun Colloquial (usually with a negative) a young person: I m no spring chicken. {US English (1910s), from British spring chicken a young chicken available in spring} …  

  • spring chicken — {n.}, {slang} A young person. Usually used with no . * /Mr. Brown is no spring chicken, but he can still play tennis well./ * /The coach is no spring chicken, but he can show the players what to do./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • spring chicken — {n.}, {slang} A young person. Usually used with no . * /Mr. Brown is no spring chicken, but he can still play tennis well./ * /The coach is no spring chicken, but he can show the players what to do./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • spring\ chicken — noun slang A young person. Usually used with no . Mr. Brown is no spring chicken, but he can still play tennis well. The coach is no spring chicken, but he can show the players what to do …   Словарь американских идиом

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”