Sparrow

3 definitions found

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

  Sparrow \Spar"row\, n. [OE. sparwe, AS. spearwa; akin to OHG.
     sparo, G. sperling, Icel. sp["o]rr, Dan. spurv, spurre, Sw.
     sparf, Goth. sparwa; -- originally, probably, the quiverer or
     flutterer, and akin to E. spurn. See {Spurn}, and cf.
     {Spavin}.]
     1. (Zool.) One of many species of small singing birds of the


        family {Fringilligae}, 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}.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: 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.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Zool.) Any one of several small singing birds somewhat
        resembling the true sparrows in form or habits, as the
        European hedge sparrow. See under {Hedge}.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              He that doth the ravens feed,
              Yea, providently caters for the sparrow,
              Be comfort to my age!                 --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Field sparrow}, {Fox sparrow}, etc. See under {Field},
        {Fox}, etc.
  
     {Sparrow bill}, a small nail; a castiron shoe nail; a
        sparable.
  
     {Sparrow hawk}. (Zool.)
        (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}).
  
     Note: The name is applied to other small hawks, as the
           European kestrel and the New Zealand quail hawk.
  
     {Sparrow owl} (Zool.), 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} (Zool.), the female of the reed bunting.
        [Prov. Eng.]
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  sparrow
       n 1: any of several small dull-colored singing birds feeding on
            seeds or insects [syn: {true sparrow}]
       2: small brownish European songbird [syn: {hedge sparrow}, {dunnock},
           {Prunella modularis}]

From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:

  Sparrow
     Mentioned among the offerings made by the very poor. Two
     sparrows were sold for a farthing (Matt. 10:29), and five for
     two farthings (Luke 12:6). The Hebrew word thus rendered is
     _tsippor_, which properly denotes the whole family of small
     birds which feed on grain (Lev. 14:4; Ps. 84:3; 102:7). The
     Greek word of the New Testament is _strouthion_ (Matt.
     10:29-31), which is thus correctly rendered.