canary seed

American  

noun

1. birdseed.

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canary seed British  

noun

1. another name for birdseed

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Etymology

Origin of canary seed

First recorded in 1590–1600

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

canary seed

He went shopping for canary seed and Polly, loose in the pet shop, settled on his shoulder and said, 'Pretty boy, I love you so.'

From Time Magazine Archive

P. Canariensis is the useful canary seed: it may be propagated from seed on any soil.

From Gardening for the Million by Pink, Alfred

I put these in a finger bowl, and sprinkle a few seeds of grass or canary seed on the moss and dash some water on it from the tips of my fingers.

From Ethel Morton's Enterprise by Smith, Mabell S. C. (Mabell Shippie Clarke)

Mr. Punt crooned out the impious aspiration as he sorted a judicious modicum of hemp into the canary seed.

From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 156, January 29, 1919 by Various

Besides this, give them a little scalded rapeseed, and a little rape and canary seed by itself.

From The Cook and Housekeeper's Complete and Universal Dictionary; Including a System of Modern Cookery, in all Its Various Branches, Adapted to the Use of Private Families by Eaton, Mary, fl. 1823-1849