Word Meanings - SHRIKE - Book Publishers vocabulary database

Any one of numerous species of oscinine birds of the family Laniidæ, having a strong hooked bill, toothed at the tip. Most shrikes are insectivorous, but the common European gray shrike , the great northern shrike , and several others, kill mice,

Additional info about word: SHRIKE

Any one of numerous species of oscinine birds of the family Laniidæ, having a strong hooked bill, toothed at the tip. Most shrikes are insectivorous, but the common European gray shrike , the great northern shrike , and several others, kill mice, small birds, etc., and often impale them on thorns, and are, on that account called also butcher birds. See under Butcher. Note: The ant shrikes, or bush shrikes, are clamatorial birds of the family Formicaridæ. The cuckoo shrikes of the East Indies and Australia are Oscines of the family Campephagidæ. The drongo shrikes of the same regions belong to the related family Dicruridæ. See Drongo. Crow shrike. See under Crow. -- Shrike thrush. Any one of several species of Asiatic timaline birds of the genera Thamnocataphus, Gampsorhynchus, and allies. Any one of several species of shrikelike Australian singing birds of the genus Colluricincla. -- Shrike tit. Any one of several Australian birds of the genus Falcunculus, having a strong toothed bill and sharp claws. They creep over the bark of trees, like titmice, in search of insects. Any one of several species of small Asiatic birds belonging to Allotrius, Pteruthius, Cutia, Leioptila, and allied genera, related to the true tits. Called also hill tit. -- Swallow shrike. See under Swallow.

Related words: (words related to SHRIKE)

• TOOTHBRUSH
  A brush for cleaning the teeth.
• HAVENED
  Sheltered in a haven. Blissful havened both from joy and pain. Keats.
• HAVENER
  A harbor master.
• NORTHERNMOST
  Farthest north.
• GREAT-HEARTED
  1. High-spirited; fearless. Clarendon. 2. Generous; magnanimous; noble.
• GREAT-GRANDFATHER
  The father of one's grandfather or grandmother.
• HOOKE'S GEARING
  Spur gearing having teeth slanting across the face of the wheel, sometimes slanting in opposite directions from the middle.
• COMMONER
  1. One of the common people; one having no rank of nobility. All below them even their children, were commoners, and in the eye law equal to each other. Hallam. 2. A member of the House of Commons. 3. One who has a joint right in common ground.
• NORTHERN
  1. Of or pertaining to the north; being in the north, or nearer to that point than to the east or west. 2. In a direction toward the north; as, to steer a northern course; coming from the north; as, a northern wind. Northern diver. See Loon. --
• HAVELOCK
  A light cloth covering for the head and neck, used by soldiers as a protection from sunstroke.
• FAMILY
  A groupe of organisms, either animal or vegetable, related by certain points of resemblance in structure or development, more comprehensive than a genus, because it is usually based on fewer or less pronounced points of likeness. In zoölogy
• STRONGYLOID
  Like, or pertaining to, Strongylus, a genus of parasitic nematode worms of which many species infest domestic animals. Some of the species, especially those living in the kidneys, lungs, and bronchial tubes, are often very injurious. -- n.
• COMMONISH
  Somewhat common; commonplace; vulgar.
• GREAT-GRANDSON
  A son of one's grandson or granddaughter.
• TOOTHSHELL
  Any species of Dentalium and allied genera having a tooth- shaped shell. See Dentalium.
• COMMONLY
  1. Usually; generally; ordinarily; frequently; for the most part; as, confirmed habits commonly continue trough life. 2. In common; familiary. Spenser.
• SPECIES
  A group of individuals agreeing in common attributes, and designated by a common name; a conception subordinated to another conception, called a genus, or generic conception, from which it differs in containing or comprehending more attributes,
• GREAT-HEARTEDNESS
  The quality of being greathearted; high-mindedness; magnanimity.
• HAVE
  haven, habben, AS. habben ; akin to OS. hebbian, D. hebben, OFries, hebba, OHG. hab, G. haben, Icel. hafa, Sw. hafva, Dan. have, Goth. haban, and prob. to L. habere, whence F. 1. To hold in possession or control; to own; as, he has a farm. 2.
• COMMONWEALTH
  Specifically, the form of government established on the death of Charles I., in 1649, which existed under Oliver Cromwell and his son Richard, ending with the abdication of the latter in 1659. Syn. -- State; realm; republic. (more info) 1. A state;
• UNCOMMON
  Not common; unusual; infrequent; rare; hence, remarkable; strange; as, an uncommon season; an uncommon degree of cold or heat; uncommon courage. Syn. -- Rare; scarce; infrequent; unwonted. -- Un*com"mon*ly, adv. -- Un*com"mon*ness, n.
• INGREAT
  To make great; to enlarge; to magnify. Fotherby.
• INNUMEROUS
  Innumerable. Milton.
• FELLOW-COMMONER
  A student at Cambridge University, England, who commons, or dines, at the Fellow's table.
• INTERCOMMON
  To graze cattle promiscuously in the commons of each other, as the inhabitants of adjoining townships, manors, etc. (more info) 1. To share with others; to participate; especially, to eat at the same table. Bacon.
• CANT HOOK
  A wooden lever with a movable iron hook. hear the end; -- used for canting or turning over heavy logs, etc. Bartlett.
• MISBEHAVE
  To behave ill; to conduct one's self improperly; -- often used with a reciprocal pronoun.
• HEADSTRONG
  1. Not easily restrained; ungovernable; obstinate; stubborn. Not let headstrong boy my will control. Dryden. 2. Directed by ungovernable will, or proceeding from obstinacy. Dryden. Syn. -- Violent; obstinate; ungovernable; unratable; stubborn;
• UNTOOTH
  To take out the teeth of. Cowper.