Buzzard

3 definitions found

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

  Buzzard \Buz"zard\, a.
     Senseless; stupid. [R. & Obs.] --Milton.
     [1913 Webster]

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



  Buzzard \Buz"zard\ (b[u^]z"z[~e]rd), n.[O.E. busard, bosard, F.
     busard, fr. buse, L. buteo, a kind of falcon or hawk.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. (Zool.) A bird of prey of the Hawk family, belonging to
        the genus {Buteo} and related genera.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Zool.) In the United States, a term used for the {turkey
        vulture} ({Cathartes aura}), and sometimes
        indiscriminately to any vulture.
        [PJC]
  
     Note: The {Buteo vulgaris} is the common buzzard of Europe.
           The American species (of which the most common are
           {Buteo borealis}, {Buteo Pennsylvanicus}, and {Buteo
           lineatus}) are usually called hen hawks. -- The
           rough-legged buzzard, or bee hawk, of Europe ({Pernis
           apivorus}) feeds on bees and their larv[ae], with other
           insects, and reptiles. -- The moor buzzard of Europe is
           {Circus [ae]ruginosus}. See {Turkey buzzard}, and
           {Carrion buzzard}.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     {Bald buzzard}, the fishhawk or osprey. See {Fishhawk}.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A blockhead; a dunce.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              It is common, to a proverb, to call one who can not
              be taught, or who continues obstinately ignorant, a
              buzzard.                              --Goldsmith.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  buzzard
       n 1: common in South America and Central America and southern
            United States [syn: {turkey buzzard}, {turkey vulture},
            {Cathartes aura}]
       2: the common European short-winged hawk [syn: {Buteo buteo}]