bird's mouth

American  

noun

Carpentry.

1. a right-angled notch cut in the underside of a rafter for fitting over a longitudinal member, as a wall plate.

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Etymology

Origin of bird's mouth

First recorded in 1815–25

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bird's mouth

In one motion, the boy on the raft snatched the fish from the bird’s mouth and threw it to the other boy on the boat.

From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan

Oliver mildly replied that he had always heard a bird's mouth described by the word beak.

From Dickens' Stories About Children Every Child Can Read by Dickens, Charles

Besides, the roof of the bird's mouth is grooved or convex, and therefore the character of the sounds will be somewhat dependent upon the position and movement of the upper mandible.

From Our Bird Comrades by Keyser, Leander S. (Leander Sylvester)

The sticky substance in the bird's mouth covers the little barbs on its tongue, and thus he is able to catch a great many ants at a time.

From Citizen Bird Scenes from Bird-Life in Plain English for Beginners by Fuertes, Louis Agassiz

He ended with a little strain of song, so sweet and pleading that Minnie could have kissed him for it, only, you know, a bird's mouth is rather sharp to kiss.

From Minnie; or, The Little Woman A Fairy Story by Guild, Caroline Snowden