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Web-footed, as a water fowl. -- n.

In common usage, the species in general or collectively; a peafowl. Peacock butterfly (Zoöl.), a handsome European butterfly (Hamadryas Io) having ocelli like those of peacock. -- Peacock fish (Zoöl.), the European blue-striped wrasse (Labrus variegatus); -- so called on account of its brilliant colors. Called also co…

The hen or female peafowl.

A pole; a long staff; a rod; esp., a pole or other support for fowls to roost on or to rest on; a roost; figuratively, any elevated resting place or seat. As chauntecleer among his wives all Sat on his perche, that was in his hall. Chaucer. Not making his high place the lawless perch Of winged ambitions. Tennyson.…

ngers; to pluck; to gather, as fruit from a tree, flowers from the stalk, feathers from a fowl, etc.

d of the genus Numida. Several species are found in Africa. The common pintado, or Guinea fowl, the helmeted, and the crested pintados, are the best known. See Guinea fowl, under Guinea.

A contagious disease of fowls, characterized by hoarseness, discharge from the nostrils and eyes, and an accumulation of mucus in the mouth, forming a "scale" on the tongue. By some the term pip is restricted to this last symptom, the disease being called roup by them.

mething, with a twitch; to twitch; also, to gather, to pick; as, to pluck feathers from a fowl; to pluck hair or wool from a skin; to pluck grapes. I come to pluck your berries harsh and crude. Milton. E'en children followed, with endearing wile, And plucked his gown to share the good man's smile. Goldsmith.…

A knot; a cluster; a group; a crowd; a flock; as, a plump of trees, fowls, or spears. [Obs.] To visit islands and the plumps of men. Chapman.

To preserve seasoned in pots. "Potted fowl and fish." Dryden.

To swallow; -- said of fowls. Derham.

Domestic fowls reared for the table, or for their eggs or feathers, such as cocks and hens, capons, turkeys, ducks, and geese.

The young of some birds, as grouse; a young fowl. Carew.

A young hen, or female of the domestic fowl. Pullet sperm, the treadle of an egg. [Obs.] Shak.

Strong to the taste. "Divers sea fowls taste rank of the fish on which they feed." Boyle.

Of or pertaining to the Rasores, or gallinaceous birds, as the peacock, domestic fowl, patridge, and the like.

Food obtained by violence; plunder; prey; raven. "Fowls of ravyne." Chaucer. Though Nature, red in tooth and claw With ravine, shrieked against his creed. Tennyson.

replenish the earth. Gen. i. 28. The waters thus With fish replenished, and the air with fowl. Milton.

To hawk by the side of a river; to fly hawks at river fowl. [Obs.] Halliwell.

The pole or other support on which fowls rest at night; a perch. He clapped his wings upon his roost. Dryden.