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bird's-eye

[burdz-ahy]
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adjective
  1. seen from above, as by a bird in flight; panoramic: a bird's-eye view of the city.
  2. omitting many details; hasty; superficial; general: a bird's-eye view of ancient history.
  3. having spots or markings resembling the eyes of a bird: bird's-eye tweed.
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noun, plural bird's-eyes.
  1. any of various plants having small, round, bright-colored flowers, as a primrose, Primula farinosa, or a speedwell, Veronica chamaedrys.
  2. Textiles.
    1. a woven, allover pattern on fabrics, characterized chiefly by small diamond shapes resembling the eyes of a bird.
    2. a fabric having this pattern, especially a cotton used for diapers or a linen used for toweling.
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Origin of bird's-eye

First recorded in 1590–1600; bird + 's1 + eye
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

scenicacross-the-boardbroadthoroughwholesalecomprehensiveradicalextensiveexhaustiveall-encompassingfullcompleteexaggeratedblanketoverallgeneralall-aroundall-inclusivefar-reachingall-embracing
British Dictionary definitions for bird's-eye

bird's-eye

adjective
    1. seen or photographed from high above
    2. summarizing the main points of a topic; summary (esp in the phrase bird's-eye view)
  2. having markings resembling birds' eyes
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noun
  1. bird's-eye primrose a Eurasian primrose, Primula farinosa, having clusters of purplish flowers with yellow centres
  2. bird's-eye speedwell the usual US name for germander speedwell
  3. any of several other plants having flowers of two contrasting colours
  4. a pattern in linen and cotton fabrics, made up of small diamond shapes with a dot in the centre of each
  5. a linen or cotton fabric with such a pattern
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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