fowl
domestic bird kept for food
A farm bird, usually a chicken, that people keep for meat or eggs.
keep [fowl] for [eggs/meat]
- They keep several kinds of fowl in the backyard for fresh eggs.
- The farm sells eggs from free-range fowl at the local market.
- Health inspectors came to check the condition of the fowl and their housing.
- The outbreak of disease forced the farmer to cull most of his fowl.
- Children were feeding the fowl behind the barn with leftover grain.
- My grandparents keep fowl on their small farm.
- The fowl run around inside the yard.
- We get fresh eggs from our own fowl.
- The farmer feeds his fowl every morning.
- They built a new house for the fowl.
wild or game bird for food
A wild bird that people hunt and eat, for example a duck or pheasant.
hunt [fowl] in [place]
- The wetlands are an important winter home for wild fowl.
- Hunters must get a license before shooting migratory fowl.
- The restaurant specializes in roast fowl such as duck and goose.
- New regulations limit the number of fowl that can be taken each season.
- We watched flocks of fowl lifting off the lake at dawn.
- Many people hunt wild fowl in this area.
- The chef cooked a large fowl for the guests.
- They saw many fowl on the lake in winter.
- You need a permit to shoot fowl here.
- Wild fowl rest on the water at night.
any bird, literary or old use
Any kind of bird, used in older or literary English.
the [fowl] of the [place]
- The poet wrote of every beast and fowl beneath the sun.
- Ancient laws listed the rights to hunt both fish and fowl.
- The sky was dark with fowl returning to their nests.
- He claimed to know the name of every fowl that nested in the valley.
- The old text describes how fowl filled the air and streams teemed with life.
- In this old story, the word "fowl" means any bird.
- The writer says that many fowl fly over the hills.
- In the Bible, God makes fish and fowl.
- The poem talks about fowl in the sky.
- Here, "fowl" is a literary word for birds.
hunt wild birds for sport
To go out and try to catch or shoot wild birds, usually for food or sport.
to fowl for [type of bird]
- They used to fowl along the estuary each autumn.
- Local hunters still fowl for ducks when the season opens.
- He learned to fowl with his grandfather in the marshes.
- Only a few people now have licenses to fowl in this area.
- In the past, families would fowl to provide meat for the winter.
- His father taught him to fowl when he was young.
- Many people fowl for ducks near the lake.
- In this story, poor men fowl to get food.
- They do not fowl here because the birds are protected.
- Hunters sometimes fowl with dogs and boats.
- Base: fowl
- Plural: fowl, fowls
- Base: fowl
- 3rd Person Singular: fowls
- Present Participle: fowling
- Past: fowled
barnyard fowl
1mixed farmyard birds
Different kinds of farm birds, like chickens and ducks, that live together in a farmyard.
- Children ran after the barnyard fowl, scattering them in all directions.
- The yard was full of noise from the barnyard fowl at feeding time.
- Foxes sometimes come at night to hunt the barnyard fowl.
domestic fowl
1farm birds used for food
Farm birds, such as chickens and ducks, that people keep for eggs or meat.
- The law requires all domestic fowl to be vaccinated against the disease.
- Domestic fowl are kept in large sheds on many modern farms.
- The report warns about the spread of flu among domestic fowl.
fowl and game
1birds and animals taken by hunting
Birds and other wild animals that people hunt and eat.
- The new law regulates the sale of fowl and game in local markets.
- Traditional menus often listed separate sections for fish, fowl and game.
- Import rules for fowl and game became stricter after the health scare.
game fowl
1domestic birds bred as game
A type of domestic bird, often a chicken, that was bred for fighting or for meat and is also seen as a game bird.
- The farm specializes in rare breeds of game fowl.
- Some traditional dishes use only game fowl raised outdoors.
- Regulations now strictly control the keeping of game fowl for fighting.
water fowl
1ducks, geese, swans and similar birds
Birds like ducks, geese, and swans that live on or near water.
- The lake supports many kinds of water fowl throughout the year.
- Visitors enjoy feeding the water fowl from the wooden bridge.
- Pollution in the river is killing fish and water fowl.
wild fowl
1wild birds, often in wetlands
Wild birds, especially ducks and geese, that live on lakes, rivers, or marshes and may be hunted.
- The reserve is famous for the large number of wild fowl that winter there.
- New rules limit hunting of wild fowl to protect their numbers.
- We watched wild fowl feeding quietly in the shallow water.