I. ˈshrīk, esp South ˈsrīk, dial ˈswīk
chiefly dialect
variant of shriek
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: perhaps from (assumed) Middle English shrik, from Old English scrīc thrush; akin to Middle English shriken to shriek — more at shriek
1. : any of numerous oscine birds of the family Laniidae and especially of the genus Lanius that have a strong notched bill hooked at the tip, feed chiefly on insects and often impale their prey on thorns, and generally have the plumage predominantly gray or brownish with the wings and tail black marked with white — see butcher-bird , loggerhead shrike , migrant shrike , northern shrike , red-backed shrike , white-rumped shrike
2. : any of various birds felt to resemble or formerly classified with the Laniidae (as an antbird or drongo) — usually used with a qualifying term; see antshrike , cuckoo shrike , wood shrike