chicken
gb/t͡ʃˈɪkən/ us/t͡ʃˈɪkən/
A1
English
~ 3700
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A1
entity
1
A farm bird kept for food
A bird that people keep for its eggs and meat.
Usage pattern:
a [adjective] chicken
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'chicken' (the animal or meat) with 'hen' (female) or 'rooster' (male).
Synonyms
hen (Refers specifically to an adult female chicken.)
Collocations
roast chicken
|fried chicken
|chicken farm
|chicken coop
|chicken soup
Themes
food
|animals
|farming
|daily life
|food_drink
|daily_life
Examples
- We had roast chicken for dinner last night.
- The farmer keeps over a hundred chickens in the coop.
- Chicken is one of the most popular meats worldwide.
- The recipe calls for two cups of cooked chicken.
- They raise chickens organically on their small farm.
Learner examples
- The chicken is in the yard.
- We eat chicken on Sundays.
- My uncle has many chickens.
- I like chicken soup.
- The chicken lays eggs.
Noun
A1
entity
2
Meat from a chicken
Meat from a chicken that people eat.
Usage pattern:
eat [some] chicken
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse countable and uncountable usage; 'chickens' refers to animals, 'chicken' (no plural) is the meat.
Synonyms
poultry (General term for domestic bird meat; more formal and broader than 'chicken'.)
Collocations
grilled chicken
|chicken sandwich
|chicken curry
|chicken salad
Themes
food
|cooking
|food_drink
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She ordered chicken with rice.
- I prefer chicken to beef.
- We had grilled chicken at the barbecue.
- The chicken is tender and juicy.
- This soup is made with fresh chicken.
Learner examples
- I eat chicken every day.
- We have chicken for lunch.
- He cooks chicken in the oven.
- Chicken is my favorite meat.
Noun
informal
B1
entity
3
A cowardly person
An informal word for a person who is afraid to do something.
Usage pattern:
call [someone] a chicken
Common mistake:
Learners may mistakenly think this refers to the animal literally rather than as slang for a person.
Synonyms
coward (More formal and direct; can be harsher in tone.)
Antonyms
brave person (Direct opposite; someone who shows courage.)
Collocations
don't be a chicken
|such a chicken
Themes
emotions
|personality
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Don't be such a chicken—just jump in!
- He was too much of a chicken to ask her out.
- They're calling me a chicken because I won't try skydiving.
Learner examples
- You are a chicken if you don't try it.
- He is a chicken when he sees spiders.
- Don't be a chicken. Come with us.
Grammar
Expressions
chicken out
1/t͡ʃˈɪkən ˈaʊt/
phrasal verb
informal
Back out due to fear
To decide not to do something because you are scared.
Examples
- He was going to try bungee jumping but chickened out at the last minute.
- She chickened out of giving the speech.
like a headless chicken
1/lˈaɪk ə hˈɛdləs t͡ʃˈɪkən/
idiom
informal
Act confused and rushed
To be very busy but not organized or effective.
Examples
- She was running around like a headless chicken before the guests arrived.
- I've been like a headless chicken all day trying to get ready.
play chicken
1/plˈeɪ t͡ʃˈɪkən/
idiom
informal
Engage in a risky standoff
To do something dangerous to see who will stop first, often to show bravery.
Examples
- The two drivers were playing chicken on the highway.
- Politicians are playing chicken with the budget deadline.