1.
[syn: purple grackle, Quiscalus quiscula]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Purple \Pur"ple\, a.
1. Exhibiting or possessing the color called purple, much
esteemed for its richness and beauty; of a deep red, or
red and blue color; as, a purple robe.
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2. Imperial; regal; -- so called from the color having been
an emblem of imperial authority.
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Hide in the dust thy purple pride. --Shelley.
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3. Blood-red; bloody.
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May such purple tears be alway shed. --Shak.
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I view a field of blood,
And Tiber rolling with a purple blood. --Dryden.
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Purple bird (Zool.), the European purple gallinule. See
under Gallinule.
Purple copper ore. (Min.) See Bornite.
Purple grackle (Zool.), the crow blackbird. See under
Crow.
Purple martin. See under Martin.
Purple sandpiper. See under Sandpiper.
Purple shell. See Ianthina.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Crow \Crow\, n. [AS. cr[=a]we a crow (in sense 1); akin to D.
kraai, G. kr[aum]he; cf. Icel. kr[=a]ka crow. So named from
its cry, from AS. cr[=a]wan to crow. See Crow, v. i. ]
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1. (Zool.) A bird, usually black, of the genus Corvus,
having a strong conical beak, with projecting bristles. It
has a harsh, croaking note. See Caw.
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Note: The common crow of Europe, or carrion crow, is Corvus
corone. The common American crow is Corvus
Americanus. See Carrion crow, and Illustr., under
Carrion.
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2. A bar of iron with a beak, crook, or claw; a bar of iron
used as a lever; a crowbar.
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Get me an iron crow, and bring it straight
Unto my cell. --Shak.
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3. The cry of the cock. See Crow, v. i., 1.
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4. The mesentery of a beast; -- so called by butchers.
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Carrion crow. See under Carrion.
Crow blackbird (Zool.), an American bird (Quiscalus
quiscula); -- called also purple grackle.
Crow pheasant (Zool.), an Indian cuckoo; the common coucal.
It is believed by the natives to give omens. See Coucal.
Crow shrike (Zool.), any bird of the genera Gymnorhina,
Craticus, or Strepera, mostly from Australia.
Red-legged crow. See Crough.
As the crow flies, in a direct line.
To pick a crow, To pluck a crow, to state and adjust a
difference or grievance (with any one).
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
purple grackle
n 1: eastern United States grackle [syn: purple grackle,
Quiscalus quiscula]