/chik"euhn/ , n.
1. a domestic fowl, Gallus domesticus, descended from various jungle fowl of southeastern Asia and developed in a number of breeds for its flesh, eggs, and feathers.
2. the young of this bird, esp. when less than a year old.
3. the flesh of the chicken, esp. of the young bird, used as food.
4. Informal. a young or inexperienced person, esp. a young girl.
5. Slang.
a. a cowardly or fearful person.
b. petty details or tasks.
c. unnecessary discipline or regulations.
d. a young male homosexual, esp. one sought as a sexual partner by older men.
6. a contest in which two cars approach each other at high speed down the center of a road, the object being to force one's opponent to veer away first.
7. a policy or strategy of challenging an opponent to risk a clash or yield: diplomats playing chicken at the conference table.
8. count one's chickens before they are hatched , to rely on a benefit that is still uncertain: They were already spending in anticipation of their inheritance, counting their chickens before they were hatched.
adj.
9. (of food) containing, made from, or having the flavor of chicken: chicken salad; chicken soup.
10. Slang.
a. cowardly.
b. petty or trivial: a chicken regulation.
c. obsessed with petty details, regulations, etc.: He's quitting this chicken outfit to become his own boss.
v.i.
11. chicken out , Slang.
a. to refrain from doing something because of fear or cowardice: I chickened out when I saw how deep the water was.
b. to renege or withdraw: You can't chicken out of this business deal now.
[ bef. 950; 1605-15 for def. 5a; 1940-45 for def. 7; ME chiken, OE cicen; akin to MD kieken (D kuiken ), LG küken ]