Blackbirding


(formerly) the act or practice of kidnapping persons, especially Kanakas, and selling them abroad as slaves.
a common European thrush, Turdus merula, the male of which is black with a yellow bill.
any of several American birds of the family Icteridae, having black plumage.
Compare crow blackbird, red-winged blackbird, rusty blackbird.
any of several other unrelated birds having black plumage in either or both sexes.
(formerly) a person, especially a Kanaka, who was kidnapped and sold abroad, usually in Australia, as a slave.
to kidnap (a person), as in blackbirding.
to engage in blackbirding.
Historical Examples

South Sea Tales Jack London
The Ocean Cat’s Paw George Manville Fenn
The Best Short Stories of 1921 and the Yearbook of the American Short Story Various
Jerry of the Islands Jack London
Through the South Seas with Jack London Martin Johnson
Savage Island Basil C. Thomson
The Pacific Triangle Sydney Greenbie

noun
a common European thrush, Turdus merula, in which the male has a black plumage and yellow bill and the female is brown
any of various American orioles having a dark plumage, esp any of the genus Agelaius
(history) a person, esp a South Sea Islander, who was kidnapped and sold as a slave, esp in Australia
verb
(transitive) (formerly) to kidnap and sell into slavery
n.

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