Birdlime

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Birdlime \Bird"lime`\, n. [Bird + lime viscous substance.]
     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.


     [1913 Webster]
  
           Not birdlime or Idean pitch produce
           A more tenacious mass of clammy juice.   --Dryden.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: Birdlime is also made from mistletoe, elder, etc.
           [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Birdlime \Bird"lime`\, v. t.
     To smear with birdlime; to catch with birdlime; to insnare.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           When the heart is thus birdlimed, then it cleaves to
           everything it meets with.                --Coodwin.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  birdlime
       n : a sticky adhesive that is smeared on small branches to
           capture small birds [syn: {lime}]
       v : spread birdlime on branches to catch birds [syn: {lime}]