lapwing

3 definitions found

lapwing - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Lapwing \Lap"wing`\, n. [OE. lapwynke, leepwynke, AS.
     hle['a]pewince; hle['a]pan to leap, jump + (prob.) a word
     akin to AS. wincian to wink, E. wink, AS. wancol wavering;
     cf. G. wanken to stagger, waver. See Leap, and Wink.]
     (Zool.)
     A small European bird of the Plover family (Vanellus cristatus
     , or Vanellus vanellus). It has long and broad
     wings, and is noted for its rapid, irregular fight, upwards,
     downwards, and in circles. Its back is coppery or greenish
     bronze. Its eggs are the "plover's eggs" of the London
     market, esteemed a delicacy. It is called also peewit,
     dastard plover, and wype. The gray lapwing is the
     Squatarola cinerea.
     [1913 Webster]

lapwing - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  lapwing
      n 1: large crested Old World plover having wattles and spurs
           [syn: lapwing, green plover, peewit, pewit]

lapwing - Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary :

  Lapwing
  the name of an unclean bird, mentioned only in Lev. 11:19 and
  Deut. 14:18. The Hebrew name of this bird, _dukiphath_, has been
  generally regarded as denoting the hoope (Upupa epops), an
  onomatopoetic word derived from the cry of the bird, which
  resembles the word "hoop;" a bird not uncommon in Palestine.
  Others identify it with the English peewit.