bird
gb/bˈɚd/ us/bˈɚd/
A1
English
~ 1200
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A1
entity
1
Feathered animal with wings
An animal with feathers and wings that usually lays eggs and can often fly.
Usage pattern:
a [adjective] bird
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'bird' with 'chicken', but 'bird' refers to all feathered animals, not only farm poultry.
Synonyms
avian (More formal or scientific term for a bird.)
Antonyms
mammal (A different class of warm-blooded animals that have hair and produce milk.)
Collocations
migratory bird
|song bird
|sea bird
|rare bird
|baby bird
Themes
animals
|nature
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The robin is a common bird in our garden.
- Many bird species migrate south for the winter.
- We saw a brightly colored bird in the tree.
- Birds build nests to protect their eggs.
Learner examples
- I see a small bird in the tree.
- That bird is very colorful.
- The bird is flying over the house.
- A bird is sitting on the branch.
Noun
informal
B2
entity
2
Informal term for woman
In British slang, 'bird' means a young woman or girlfriend.
Usage pattern:
[someone's] bird
Common mistake:
Learners may use this slang in formal contexts, where it can sound disrespectful or outdated.
Synonyms
girl (Neutral and more widely accepted term for a young female.)
Collocations
his bird
|a pretty bird
Themes
slang
|relationships
|daily_life
Examples
- He turned up at the party with his new bird.
- That's his bird over there by the bar.
- My mate's bird is coming too.
Learner examples
- He is talking to his bird.
- That man is with his bird.
- She is his bird.
Noun
slang
C1
entity
3
Time spent in prison
'Bird' can mean time spent in prison in British slang.
Usage pattern:
do [some/number of] bird
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'bird' always means the animal, missing this prison slang meaning.
Synonyms
jail time (Neutral term for time spent in prison.)
Collocations
do bird
Themes
slang
|crime
|law
|time
Examples
- He did three years' bird for robbery.
- Nobody wants to do bird over something stupid.
- She’s hoping to avoid doing any bird.
Learner examples
- He did bird for five years.
- My uncle did bird last year.
- She does not want to do bird.
Grammar
Dictionary form
bird
IPA
GB/bˈɚd/
US/bˈɚd/
Syllables & stress
bird (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (bird)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: bird
- Plural: bird, birds
Word family
Forms
birds
noun
Related words
Advanced or less common
birdlike
adjective
Expressions
a bird in the hand (is worth two in the bush)
1/ə bˈɚd ˈɪn ðə hˈænd ˈɪz wˈɚθ tˈu ˈɪn ðə bˈʊʃ/
idiom
Value certainty over risk
It is better to keep what you have than to risk losing it by trying to get something better.
Examples
- I know you want a bigger job, but remember, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
- He decided not to sell his business—after all, a bird in the hand...
bird brain
1/bˈɚd bɹˈeɪn/
idiom
informal
Unintelligent person (insult)
An insulting way to call someone not smart or foolish.
Examples
- Don’t be such a bird brain—you forgot your keys again!
- He’s a nice guy, but a bit of a bird brain.
bird's-eye view
1/bˈɚdz ˈaɪ vjˈu/
fixed phrase
View from above
A view seen from high above, like from an airplane or tall building.
Examples
- From the top of the tower we had a bird's-eye view of the whole city.
- The map gives you a bird’s-eye view of the park.
the early bird catches the worm
1/ðə ˈɚli bˈɚd kˈæt͡ʃɪz ðə wˈɚm/
idiom
Success comes to those who start early
People who start work or act before others are more likely to get what they want.
Examples
- He likes to get to the market at 6 a.m., saying the early bird catches the worm.
- If you want a good seat, remember that the early bird catches the worm.
- She always arrives early to job fairs because the early bird catches the worm.
the early bird catches the worm
2/ðə ˈɚli bˈɚd kˈæt͡ʃɪz ðə wˈɚm/
idiom
Success from starting early
If you start something early, you have an advantage and are more likely to succeed.
Examples
- We should get to the market before 7—the early bird catches the worm.
- She always arrives first; she believes the early bird catches the worm.
kill two birds with one stone
1/kˈɪl tˈu bˈɚdz wˈɪθ wˈʌn stˈoʊn/
idiom
Achieve two things at once
Do one thing that solves two problems or gives two results at the same time.
Examples
- By cycling to work, he kills two birds with one stone: exercise and saving money.
- By visiting my parents and attending the conference, I killed two birds with one stone.
- She killed two birds with one stone by visiting her friend and delivering the package at the same time.
- Cleaning the garage helped me exercise and tidy up—two birds with one stone.
kill two birds with one stone
2/kˈɪl tˈu bˈɚdz wˈɪθ wˈʌn stˈoʊn/
idiom
Achieve two goals at once
To do two things successfully with one action or effort.
Examples
- By visiting my parents on the way to the conference, I killed two birds with one stone.
- She killed two birds with one stone by shopping while waiting for her car to be repaired.