ˈtʃɪkɪn n.,
adj., & v. --n. (pl.
same or chickens) 1 a
young bird of a
domestic fowl. 2 a a domestic fowl prepared as
food. b
its flesh. 3 a
youthful person (usu.with neg. : is no chicken). 4 colloq. a children's
pastime testing
courage, usu. recklessly. --adj. colloq.
cowardly. --v.intr. (foll. by out) colloq.
withdraw from or
fail in
some activity through fear or
lack of
nerve. øchicken-and-egg
problem (or
dilemma etc.)
the unresolved question as to
which of
two things caused the
other. chicken
brick an
earthenware container in two
halves for roasting a chicken in its
own juices. chicken
cholera see CHOLERA. chicken-feed 1 food for
poultry. 2 colloq. an
unimportant amount,
esp. of
money. chicken-hearted (or -livered)
easily frightened;
lacking nerve or courage. chicken-wire a
light wire netting with a hexagonal
mesh. [OE cicen, cycen f. Gmc]