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The Collaborative International Dictionary
Turkeys

Turkeys \Tur"keys\, a. Turkish. [Obs.]
--Chaucer.

Turkeys

Turkey \Tur"key\, n.; pl. Turkeys. [So called because it was formerly erroneously believed that it came originally from Turkey: cf. F. Turquie Turkey. See Turk.] (Zo["o]l.) Any large American gallinaceous bird belonging to the genus Meleagris, especially the North American wild turkey ( Meleagris gallopavo), and the domestic turkey, which was probably derived from the Mexican wild turkey, but had been domesticated by the Indians long before the discovery of America.

Note: The Mexican wild turkey is now considered a variety of the northern species (var. Mexicana). Its tall feathers and coverts are tipped with white instead of brownish chestnut, and its flesh is white. The Central American, or ocellated, turkey ( Meleagris ocellata) is more elegantly colored than the common species. See under Ocellated. The Australian, or native, turkey is a bustard ( Choriotis australis). See under Native.

Turkey beard (Bot.), a name of certain American perennial liliaceous herbs of the genus Xerophyllum. They have a dense tuft of hard, narrowly linear radical leaves, and a long raceme of small whitish flowers. Also called turkey's beard.

Turkey berry (Bot.), a West Indian name for the fruit of certain kinds of nightshade ( Solanum mammosum, and Solanum torvum).

Turkey bird (Zo["o]l.), the wryneck. So called because it erects and ruffles the feathers of its neck when disturbed. [Prov. Eng.]

Turkey buzzard (Zo["o]l.), a black or nearly black buzzard ( Cathartes aura), abundant in the Southern United States. It is so called because its naked and warty head and neck resemble those of a turkey. Its is noted for its high and graceful flight. Called also turkey vulture.

Turkey cock (Zo["o]l.), a male turkey.

Turkey hen (Zo["o]l.), a female turkey.

Turkey pout (Zo["o]l.), a young turkey. [R.]

Turkey vulture (Zo["o]l.), the turkey buzzard.

Wiktionary
turkeys

n. (plural of turkey English)

Usage examples of "turkeys".

Other figures of ocellated turkeys show but little in addition to the points just discussed.

But it is to be confessed that, when the good man got carried away by the enthusiasm of his subject to extend these exercises beyond a certain length, anxious glances, exchanged between good wives, sometimes indicated a weakness of the flesh, having a tender reference to the turkeys and chickens and chicken pies which might possibly be overdoing in the ovens at home.

Aunt Tildy was so interested in the project of the heaven-born inventor to raise featherless turkeys that she forgot the yeast cake she had put to soak until it had been boiling merrily for some time.

As he did so, the ghosts of the other turkeys long since eaten popped out of the thickets with a great flapping of wings, and each one perched upon a wishbone and gazed upon poor Donald, who was so frightened that his collar flew into a standing position, while he stood upon his toes, with his knees knocking together at a great rate.

Fortunately none struck him, and when the turkeys felt that they had had fun enough of that kind at his expense the bean shooter was returned to him.

You will now know why every spring the turkeys steal down here to hatch their little ones.

At its conclusion he dropped upon a chair in deep thought while in his imagination he saw a small black house surrounded by turkeys running wildly about while a little girl tried to catch the largest.

He had never excelled in calling turkeys, but he was a far better shot than Grandpa Davis.

For what are footballs if not metaphorical turkeys, flying up and down a meadow?

Eventually, we found a booth that had a few scrawny turkeys hanging from the ceiling by their heads.

Apparently turkeys had found the spot to their liking in spite of the traffic: each nest of twigs and dead leaves contained a large clutch of pale yellow eggs speckled brown.

If turkeys were not a symbol, we would never eat as many of them as we do.

Others believe that the inexhaustible plentitude of wild game, including turkeys, gave rise to the American obsession with meat, which, according to Waverley Root, astonished European visitors for two centuries.

If you have a very large family, I would suggest two smaller turkeys rather than one King Kong.

Presently Lucinda came upon a flock of wild turkeys, scratching in the grass under the pine saplings.