Dotterel

3 definitions found

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

  Dotterel \Dot"ter*el\, a. [Cf. {Dottard}.]
     Decayed. "Some old dotterel trees." [Obs.] --Ascham.
     [1913 Webster]

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



  Dotterel \Dot"ter*el\, n. [From {Dote}, v. i.]
     1. (Zool.) A European bird of the Plover family ({Eudromias
        morinellus}, syn. {Charadrius morinellus}). It is tame and
        easily taken, and is popularly believed to imitate the
        movements of the fowler.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              In catching of dotterels we see how the foolish bird
              playeth the ape in gestures.          --Bacon.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The ringed dotterel (or ring plover) is {Charadrius
           hiaticula}.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A silly fellow; a dupe; a gull. --Barrow.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  dotterel
       n : rare plover of upland areas of Eurasia [syn: {dotrel}, {Charadrius
           morinellus}, {Eudromias morinellus}]