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lapwing

American  
[lap-wing] / ˈlæpˌwɪŋ /

noun

  1. a large Old World plover, Vanellus vanellus, having a long, slender, upcurved crest, an erratic, flapping flight, and a shrill cry.

  2. any of several similar, related plovers.

lapwing British  
/ ˈlæpˌwɪŋ /

noun

  1. Also called: green plover.   pewit.   peewit.  any of several plovers of the genus Vanellus, esp V. vanellus, typically having a crested head, wattles, and spurs

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of lapwing

before 1050; Middle English, variant (by association with wing ) of lapwinke, Old English hlēapwince plover. See leap, wink 1

Vocabulary lists containing lapwing

"The Tragedy of Hamlet," Vocabulary from Act 5

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The restaurant in Lapwing Lane, Didsbury, opened in 1990.

From BBC • Jan. 2, 2024

Lapwing, lap′wing, n. the name of a bird of the plover family, also called peewit, from its peculiar cry.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) by Various

"That is because of my feet," sighed Lapwing.

From The Sa'-Zada Tales by Fraser, William Alexander

The Black Prince and Warrior led the team, towing the Bermuda, the Terrible being towed by her in turn, to prevent yawing, and the Lapwing following close on the heels of the Terrible.

From The Sea: Its Stirring Story of Adventure, Peril, & Heroism. Volume 1 by Whymper, Frederick

Then the Crow flew away and the Lapwing went on complaining.

From The Boy Who Knew What The Birds Said by Walker, Dugald Stewart

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.