■ noun
1》 a warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrate animal of a class distinguished by the possession of feathers, wings, and a beak, typically able to fly. [Class Aves.]
2》 informal a person of a specified kind or character: she's a sharp old ~.
3》 Brit. informal a young woman or girlfriend.
Phrases
the ~ has flown the person one is looking for has escaped or left.
the ~s and the bees informal basic facts about sex and reproduction, as told to a child.
do ( one's ) ~ Brit. informal serve a prison sentence. [ ~ from rhyming sl. ~lime 'time'.]
flip someone the ~ N. Amer. informal stick one's middle finger up at someone as a sign of contempt or anger.
( strictly ) for the ~s informal not worthy of consideration.
give someone the ~ Brit. informal boo or jeer at someone.
have a ~ N. Amer. informal be very shocked or agitated.
Derivatives
~like adjective
Origin
OE brid 'chick, fledgling', of unknown origin.