Definition of Sparow
Spar"row (?), n. [OE. sparwe, AS.
spearwa; akin to OHG. sparo, G. sperling, Icel.
spörr, Dan. spurv, spurre, Sw. sparf,
Goth. sparwa; -- originally, probably, the quiverer or
flutterer, and akin to E. spurn. See Spurn, and cf.
Spavin.] 1. (Zoöl.) One of
many species of small singing birds of the family
Fringilligæ, having conical bills, and feeding chiefly on
seeds. Many sparrows are called also finches, and
buntings. The common sparrow, or house sparrow, of Europe
(Passer domesticus) is noted for its familiarity, its voracity,
its attachment to its young, and its fecundity. See House
sparrow, under House.
&fist; The following American species are well known; the
chipping sparrow, or chippy, the sage sparrow,
the savanna sparrow, the song sparrow, the tree
sparrow, and the white-throated sparrow (see Peabody
bird). See these terms under Sage, Savanna, etc.
2. (Zoöl.) Any one of several
small singing birds somewhat resembling the true sparrows in form or
habits, as the European hedge sparrow. See under
Hedge.
He that doth the ravens feed,
Yea, providently caters for the sparrow,
Be comfort to my age! Shak.
Field sparrow, Fox sparrow,
etc. See under Field, Fox, etc. --
Sparrow bill, a small nail; a castiron shoe
nail; a sparable. -- Sparrow hawk.
(Zoöl.) (a) A small European hawk
(Accipiter nisus) or any of the allied species.
(b) A small American falcon (Falco
sparverius). (c) The Australian collared
sparrow hawk (Accipiter torquatus). The name is applied to
other small hawks, as the European kestrel and the New Zealand quail
hawk. -- Sparrow owl (Zoöl.), a
small owl (Glaucidium passerinum) found both in the Old World
and the New. The name is also applied to other species of small
owls. -- Sparrow spear (Zoöl.),
the female of the reed bunting. [Prov. Eng.]
Spar"row (?), n. [OE. sparwe, AS.
spearwa; akin to OHG. sparo, G. sperling, Icel.
spörr, Dan. spurv, spurre, Sw. sparf,
Goth. sparwa; -- originally, probably, the quiverer or
flutterer, and akin to E. spurn. See Spurn, and cf.
Spavin.] 1. (Zoöl.) One of
many species of small singing birds of the family
Fringilligæ, having conical bills, and feeding chiefly on
seeds. Many sparrows are called also finches, and
buntings. The common sparrow, or house sparrow, of Europe
(Passer domesticus) is noted for its familiarity, its voracity,
its attachment to its young, and its fecundity. See House
sparrow, under House.
&fist; The following American species are well known; the
chipping sparrow, or chippy, the sage sparrow,
the savanna sparrow, the song sparrow, the tree
sparrow, and the white-throated sparrow (see Peabody
bird). See these terms under Sage, Savanna, etc.
2. (Zoöl.) Any one of several
small singing birds somewhat resembling the true sparrows in form or
habits, as the European hedge sparrow. See under
Hedge.
He that doth the ravens feed,
Yea, providently caters for the sparrow,
Be comfort to my age! Shak.
Field sparrow, Fox sparrow,
etc. See under Field, Fox, etc. --
Sparrow bill, a small nail; a castiron shoe
nail; a sparable. -- Sparrow hawk.
(Zoöl.) (a) A small European hawk
(Accipiter nisus) or any of the allied species.
(b) A small American falcon (Falco
sparverius). (c) The Australian collared
sparrow hawk (Accipiter torquatus). The name is applied to
other small hawks, as the European kestrel and the New Zealand quail
hawk. -- Sparrow owl (Zoöl.), a
small owl (Glaucidium passerinum) found both in the Old World
and the New. The name is also applied to other species of small
owls. -- Sparrow spear (Zoöl.),
the female of the reed bunting. [Prov. Eng.]
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
SPARROW. Mumbling a sparrow; a cruel sport frequently
practised at wakes and fairs: for a small premium, a booby
having his hands tied behind him, has the wing of a cock
sparrow put into his mouth: with this hold, without any
other assistance than the motion of his lips, he is to get the
sparrow's head into his mouth: on attempting to do it, the
bird defends itself surprisingly, frequently pecking the
mumbler till his lips are covered with blood, and he is
obliged to desist: to prevent the bird from getting away, he
is fastened by a string to a button of the booby's coat.
- The Devil's Dictionary (Ambrose Bierce)
- A small song bird, in the family Passeridae; it has a short bill, and brown, white and gray feathers.
- The Nuttall Encyclopedia
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