noun
Meaning 1
A chicken.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, slang
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Colloquial Variant guide
yardbird
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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UK: /ˈjɑːd.bəːd/
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US: /ˈjɑɹd.bɝd/
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Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
noun
Meaning 2
A person who is imprisoned.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, slang
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 3
A soldier who is required to perform menial work on the grounds of a military base.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, slang
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 4
a person serving a sentence in a jail or prison
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: convict, con, inmate, yard bird
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: prisoner, captive
Narrower terms: lifer, trusty
noun
Meaning 5
a military recruit who is assigned menial tasks
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: yard bird
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: recruit, military recruit
History
Etymology
From yard + bird. Attested since 1956 in the sense of ‘convict,’ derived from the idea of prison yards. During World War II, it meant ‘basic trainee’ among the armed forces.
Across languages
Translations
16 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Bulgarian: наказан войник (nakazan vojnik) — person who is imprisoned
- Finnish: häkkilintu — person who is imprisoned
- French: détenu — person who is imprisoned
- French: taulard — person who is imprisoned
- German: Knacki — person who is imprisoned
- German: Knastbruder — person who is imprisoned
- German: Knastschwester — person who is imprisoned
- German: Sträfling — person who is imprisoned
- Romanian: prizonier — person who is imprisoned
- Romanian: deținut — person who is imprisoned
- Russian: заключённый (zaključónnyj) — person who is imprisoned
- Russian: у́зник (úznik) — person who is imprisoned
- Spanish: detenido — person who is imprisoned
- Spanish: penado — person who is imprisoned
- French: troufion — soldier required to do menial work
- French: homme de corvée — soldier required to do menial work