Crossword clues for dabchick
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Gallinule \Gal"li*nule\, n. [L. gallinula chicken, dim. of gallina hen: cf. F. gallinule.] (Zo["o]l.) One of several wading birds, having long, webless toes, and a frontal shield, belonging to the family Rallidae. They are remarkable for running rapidly over marshes and on floating plants. The purple gallinule of America is Ionornis Martinica, that of the Old World is Porphyrio porphyrio. The common European gallinule ( Gallinula chloropus) is also called moor hen, water hen, water rail, moor coot, night bird, and erroneously dabchick. Closely related to it is the Florida gallinule ( Gallinula galeata).
Note: The purple gallinule of Southern Europe and Asia was formerly believed to be able to detect and report adultery, and for that reason, chiefly, it was commonly domesticated by the ancients.
Wiktionary
n. (context British English) Popular name for the little grebe.
WordNet
n. small European grebe [syn: little grebe, Podiceps ruficollis]
Wikipedia
Dabchick may refer to:
- The little grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis), formerly known as dabchick
- The New Zealand dabchick or weweia (Poliocephalus rufopectus)
- The Dabchick sailing dinghy
- People from Aldbourne
The Dabchick is a South African youth sailing dinghy that is usually raced single-handed. A Bermuda rigged boat, it has a mainsail and jib. Its hull is very shallow and its skipper sits on its flat deck. This hard chined scow was designed by Jack Köper in 1955. Since they were published in 1956, nearly 3,500 plans have been issued to builders, and 4,000 boats have been built. It is usually sailed by teenagers after moving up and out of the Optimist, before moving into adult classes.
Usage examples of "dabchick".
The water was still troubled and discoloured by his introductory adventure, and, though he ducked his head with the spirit of a dabchick, the book was missing.
Then sadly and slowly his castle he sought, And left the friar diving, like dabchick distraught.
This year was happy in unusual numbers of birds (nesting-time had been particularly favourable) and Stephen and Brigid wandered about the smooth hay-meadows, by the standing corn, and along the banks, he telling her the names of countless insects, many, many birds - kingfishers, dippers, dabchicks, and the occasional teal: coots and moorhens, of course - as well as his particular favourites, henharrier, sparrowhawk and kestrel and once a single splendid peregrine, a falcon clipping her way not much above head-height with effortless speed.
Otters, kingfishers, dabchicks, moorhens, all of them about all day long and always wanting you to do something – as if a fellow had no business of his own to attend to!