Lexic.us

Definition of Birdlime

1. Noun. A sticky adhesive that is smeared on small branches to capture small birds.

Definition of Birdlime

1. n. An extremely adhesive viscid substance, usually made of the middle bark of the holly, by boiling, fermenting, and cleansing it. When a twig is smeared with this substance it will hold small birds which may light upon it. Hence: Anything which insnares.

2. v. t. To smear with birdlime; to catch with birdlime; to insnare.

Definition of Birdlime

1. Noun. A sticky substance smeared on branches to catch birds. ¹

2. Noun. (''rhyming slang'') Time; a jail term. ¹

3. Verb. (transitive) to add birdlime to ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Birdlime

1. to trap small birds [v -LIMED, -LIMING, -LIMES]

Medical Definition of Birdlime

1. A smear with birdlime; to catch with birdlime; to insnare. "When the heart is thus birdlimed, then it cleaves to everything it meets with." (Coodwin) Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Birdlime

Literary usage of Birdlime

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. A Lexicon Abridged from Liddell and Scott's Greek-English Lexicon by Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, James Morris Whiton (1891)
"... to catch birds by birdlime. temples, ie the whiskers. ... II. birdlime prepared from the mis- ..."

2. A Journal of Natural Philosophy, Chemistry and the Arts by William Nicholson (1806)
"... reduced on being heated birdlime re- oxides. Semi-vitreous oxide of lead ... between birdlime and gluten. A fimple companion will be ..."

3. Dictionary of Quotations from Ancient and Modern English and Foreign Sources by James Wood (1899)
"Wealth imparts a birdlime quality to the p«- sessor, at which the man m his native p:v- erty would have revolted. Bums. Wealth implies the possession of ..."

4. The Field Book: Or, Sports and Pastimes of the United Kingdom; Comp. from (1833)
"birdlime is prepared in different ways. The best birdlime is made of the middle bark of the holly boiled peven or eight hours in water, till it is soft and ..."

5. The History of the County of Dublin by John D'Alton (1838)
"They are also said to make a better birdlime than holly bark affords. Returning from Island-bridge through ..."

6. The Angler in Wales: Or, Days and Nights of Sportsmen by Thomas Medwin (1834)
"WE found Charters up, and drying before the fire some red birdlime (consistent stuff) in a tin bait-box. He has at last shown it to us. ..."

7. Recent Improvements in Arts, Manufactures, and Mines: Being a Supplement to by Andrew Ure (1845)
"birdlime. All the parts of the misletoe contain a peculiar viscid gluey substance, which they yield by decoction, particularly of the bark and green ..."

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