catflap.org Online Dictionary Query

  Pigeon \Pi"geon\, n. [F., fr. L. pipio a young pipping or
     chirping bird, fr. pipire to peep, chirp. Cf. Peep to
     chirp.]
     1. (Zo["o]l.) Any bird of the order Columb[ae], of which
        numerous species occur in nearly all parts of the world.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The common domestic pigeon, or dove, was derived from
           the Old World rock pigeon or rock dove ({Columba
           livia), common in cities. It has given rise to
           numerous very remarkable varieties, such as the
           carrier, fantail, nun, pouter, tumbler, etc. The common
           wild pigeon of the Eastern United States is the
           Mourning+dove+({Zenaida+macroura" rel="nofollow">Mourning dove ({Zenaida macroura, called also
           Carolina dove). Before the 19th century, the most
           common pigeon was the passenger pigeon, but that
           species is now extinct. See Passenger pigeon, and
           Carolina dove under Dove. See, also, Fruit
           pigeon, Ground pigeon, Queen pigeon, Stock
           pigeon, under Fruit, Ground, etc.
           [1913 Webster +PJC]
  
     2. An unsuspected victim of sharpers; a gull. [Slang]
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Blue pigeon (Zo["o]l.), an Australian passerine bird
        ({Graucalus melanops); -- called also black-faced crow.
        
  
     Green pigeon (Zo["o]l.), any one of numerous species of Old
        World pigeons belonging to the family Treronid[ae].
  
     Imperial pigeon (Zo["o]l.), any one of the large Asiatic
        fruit pigeons of the genus Carpophada.
  
     Pigeon berry (Bot.), the purplish black fruit of the
        pokeweed; also, the plant itself. See Pokeweed.
  
     Pigeon English [perhaps a corruption of business English],
        an extraordinary and grotesque dialect, employed in the
        commercial cities of China, as the medium of communication
        between foreign merchants and the Chinese. Its base is
        English, with a mixture of Portuguese and Hindustani.
        --Johnson's Cyc.
  
     Pigeon grass (Bot.), a kind of foxtail grass ({Setaria
        glauca), of some value as fodder. The seeds are eagerly
        eaten by pigeons and other birds.
  
     Pigeon hawk. (Zo["o]l.)
        (a) A small American falcon ({Falco columbarius). The
            adult male is dark slate-blue above, streaked with
            black on the back; beneath, whitish or buff, streaked
            with brown. The tail is banded.
        (b) The American sharp-shinned hawk ({Accipiter velox or
            Accipiter fuscus).
  
     Pigeon hole.
        (a) A hole for pigeons to enter a pigeon house.
        (b) See Pigeonhole.
        (c) pl. An old English game, in which balls were rolled
            through little arches. --Halliwell.
  
     Pigeon house, a dovecote.
  
     Pigeon pea (Bot.), the seed of Cajanus Indicus; a kind of
        pulse used for food in the East and West Indies; also, the
        plant itself.
  
     Pigeon plum (Bot.), the edible drupes of two West African
        Chrysobalanus+({Chrysobalanus+ellipticus" rel="nofollow">species of Chrysobalanus ({Chrysobalanus ellipticus and
        Chrysobalanus luteus).
  
     Pigeon tremex. (Zo["o]l.) See under Tremex.
  
     Pigeon wood (Bot.), a name in the West Indies for the wood
        of several very different kinds of trees, species of
        Dipholis, Diospyros, and Coccoloba.
  
     Pigeon woodpecker (Zo["o]l.), the flicker.
  
     Prairie pigeon. (Zo["o]l.)
        (a) The upland plover.
        (b) The golden plover. [Local, U.S.]
            [1913 Webster]