catbird

catbird
catbird (n.) 1731, common name for the North American thrush (Dumetella Carolinensis), so called from its warning cry, which resembles that of a cat. Catbird seat is a 19c. Dixieism, popularized by Brooklyn Dodgers baseball announcer Red Barber and by author James Thurber (1942).
Sitting in the catbird seat" meant sitting pretty, like a batter with three balls and no strikes on him. [Thurber, "Stories from New Yorker"]

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Catbird — Cat bird, n. (Zo[ o]l.) An American bird ({Galeoscoptes Carolinensis}), allied to the mocking bird, and like it capable of imitating the notes of other birds, but less perfectly. Its note resembles at times the mewing of a cat. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • catbird — ☆ catbird [kat′bʉrd΄ ] n. a slate gray North American passerine bird (Dumetella carolinensis) with a black crown and tail: it makes a mewing sound like that of a cat and is in the same family (Mimidae) as the mockingbirds and thrashers …   English World dictionary

  • Catbird — For other uses, see Catbird (disambiguation). White eared Catbird …   Wikipedia

  • catbird — /kat berrd /, n. any of several American or Australian birds having catlike cries, esp. Dumetella carolinensis (gray catbird), of North America. [1700 10, Amer.; CAT1 + BIRD] * * * Any of several passerine species (family Mimidae) named for their …   Universalium

  • catbird — noun /ˈkatbəːd/ a) Either of two species of American mockingbird relatives, the grey catbird and the black catbird. The catbird’s note exactly resembles the voice of a kitten, that a stranger to it would instantly conclude that such an animal had …   Wiktionary

  • catbird — noun 1. any of various birds of the Australian region whose males build ornamented structures resembling bowers in order to attract females • Syn: ↑bowerbird • Hypernyms: ↑oscine, ↑oscine bird • Hyponyms: ↑satin bowerbird, ↑satin bird, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • catbird — /ˈkætbɜd / (say katberd) noun 1. any of various birds of the family Ptilonorhynchidae, having a call which resembles the mewing of a cat, as the green catbird, Ailuroedus crassirostris, of eastern Australia. 2. → white browed babbler. 3. any of… …  

  • catbird — katpaukščiai statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Ailuroedus angl. catbird vok. Katzenvogel, m rus. птица кошка, f pranc. jardinier, m ryšiai: platesnis terminas – palapinukiniai siauresnis terminas – baltagurklis katpaukštis… …   Paukščių pavadinimų žodynas

  • catbird seat — ☆ catbird seat n. an enviable position, as of power …   English World dictionary

  • Catbird Records — Infobox record label name = Catbird Records image bg = parent = founded = 2005 founder = Ryan Catbird defunct = distributor = genre = Indie rock country = United States location = New York City, NY url = http://www.catbirdrecords.com/Catbird… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

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