Pigeon
[pij-uh n] /ˈpɪdʒ ən/
noun
1.
any bird of the family Columbidae, having a compact body and short legs, especially the larger species with square or rounded tails.
Compare 1 (def 1).
2.
a domesticated member of this family, as one of the varieties of the rock dove.
3.
Slang.
4.
Poker Slang. a card, acquired in the draw, that greatly improves a hand or makes it a winner.
[pij-uh n] /ˈpɪdʒ ən/
noun
1.
(not in technical use) pidgin; pidgin English.
/ˈpɪdʒɪn/
noun
1.
any of numerous birds of the family Columbidae, having a heavy body, small head, short legs, and long pointed wings: order Columbiformes See rock dove
2.
(slang) a victim or dupe
/ˈpɪdʒɪn/
noun
1.
(Brit, informal) concern or responsibility (often in the phrase it’s his, her, etc, pigeon)
n.
late 14c. (early 13c. as a surname), from Old French pigeon “young dove” (13c.), probably from Vulgar Latin *pibionem, dissimilation from Late Latin pipionem (nominative pipio) “squab, young chirping bird” (3c.), from pipire “to peep, chirp,” of imitative origin. Meaning “one easily duped” is from 1590s. Replaced culver (Old English culufre, from Vulgar Latin *columbra, from Latin columbula) and native dove.
noun
Related Terms
clay pigeon, dead duck
[for first sense see stool pigeon; the second sense probably derives fr the expression pluck a pigeon and may be based on a notion that pigeons are easy to catch; the sense ”young woman” is probably fr or related to quail and again suggests an easy victim]
Pigeons are mentioned as among the offerings which, by divine appointment, Abram presented unto the Lord (Gen. 15:9). They were afterwards enumerated among the sin-offerings (Lev. 1:14; 12:6), and the law provided that those who could not offer a lamb might offer two young pigeons (5:7; comp. Luke 2:24). (See DOVE.)
see:
Read Also:
- Pigeon-blood
noun 1. dark red.
- Pigeon-breast
noun, Pathology. 1. . noun 1. a deformity of the chest characterized by an abnormal protrusion of the breastbone, caused by rickets or by obstructed breathing during infancy Also called chicken breast pigeon breast pi·geon breast (pĭj’ən) n. A chest deformity marked by a projecting sternum, often occurring as a result of infantile rickets. Also […]
- Pigeon-chest
noun, Pathology. 1. . noun 1. a deformity of the chest characterized by an abnormal protrusion of the breastbone, caused by rickets or by obstructed breathing during infancy Also called chicken breast pigeon breast pi·geon breast (pĭj’ən) n. A chest deformity marked by a projecting sternum, often occurring as a result of infantile rickets. Also […]
- Pigeon-clock
noun 1. . noun 1. a device for timing the arrivals of pigeons being raced, consisting of a magazine for holding the identification bands of the contestants in the order in which they are inserted and a recording clock to register the times of insertion.
- Pigeon-drop
noun 1. a confidence game or sleight-of-hand swindle whereby cash is extracted from the victim as collateral for a supposed share in a large sum of discovered money, dishonest profits, or gambling winnings, which in fact are nonexistent. noun phrase A swindle in which the confidence man tells the victim that he has found a […]