Wagtail
- Wagtail
- Wagtail Wag"tail`, n. (Zo["o]l.)
Any one of many species of Old World singing birds belonging
to {Motacilla} and several allied genera of the family
{Motacillid[ae]}. They have the habit of constantly jerking
their long tails up and down, whence the name.
[1913 Webster]
{Field wagtail}, any one of several species of wagtails of
the genus {Budytes} having the tail shorter, the legs
longer, and the hind claw longer and straighter, than do
the water wagtails. Most of the species are yellow
beneath. Called also {yellow wagtail}.
{Garden wagtail}, the Indian black-breasted wagtail
({Nemoricola Indica}).
{Pied wagtail}, the common European water wagtail ({Motacilla
lugubris}). It is variegated with black and white. The
name is applied also to other allied species having
similar colors. Called also {pied dishwasher}.
{Wagtail flycatcher}, a true flycatcher ({Sauloprocta
motacilloides}) common in Southern Australia, where it is
very tame, and frequents stock yards and gardens and often
builds its nest about houses; -- called also {black
fantail}.
{Water wagtail}.
(a) Any one of several species of wagtails of the restricted
genus {Motacilla}. They live chiefly on the shores of
ponds and streams.
(b) The American water thrush. See {Water thrush}.
{Wood wagtail}, an Asiatic wagtail; ({Calobates sulphurea})
having a slender bill and short legs.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
2000.
:
Look at other dictionaries:
wagtail — ► NOUN ▪ a slender songbird with a long tail that is frequently wagged up and down … English terms dictionary
wagtail — [wag′tāl΄] n. 1. any of numerous small passerine birds (family Motacillidae) mostly native to Europe, characterized by long wing feathers and a very long tail that wags up and down ☆ 2. any of various similar birds, as an American waterthrush … English World dictionary
Wagtail — For the nuclear missile, see Wagtail (missile). Wagtails African Pied Wagtail Scientific classification Kingdom … Wikipedia
wagtail — /wag tayl /, n. 1. any of numerous small, chiefly Old World birds of the family Motacillidae, having a slender body with a long, narrow tail that is habitually wagged up and down. 2. any of several similar birds, as the water thrushes of the… … Universalium
wagtail — ‘Thou wagtail’ was a commonly used vocative in the seventeenth century. Applied to a young man it was usually contemptuous, applied to a woman it was always contemptuous, and was roughly equivalent to calling her a whore. The term is in no… … A dictionary of epithets and terms of address
wagtail — UK [ˈwæɡˌteɪl] / US noun [countable] Word forms wagtail : singular wagtail plural wagtails a small bird with a long tail that quickly moves up and down when the bird walks … English dictionary
wagtail — [[t]wæ̱gteɪl[/t]] wagtails N COUNT A wagtail is a type of small bird which moves its tail quickly up and down as it walks … English dictionary
wagtail — noun a slender songbird with a long tail that is frequently wagged up and down. [Motacilla alba (pied wagtail) and other species.] … English new terms dictionary
wagtail — /ˈwægteɪl / (say wagtayl) noun 1. any of numerous small, chiefly Eurasian birds of the family Motacillidae, having a slender body with a long, narrow tail which is habitually wagged up and down; a number of species are irregular migrants or… …
wagtail — tikrosios kielės statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Motacilla angl. wagtail vok. Stelze, f rus. настоящая трясогузка, f; трясогузка, f pranc. bergeronnette, f ryšiai: platesnis terminas – kieliniai siauresnis terminas –… … Paukščių pavadinimų žodynas
