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Definitions for: Pigeon
[n] wild and domesticated birds having a heavy body and short legs
Webster (1913) Definition: Pi"geon, n. [F., fr. L. pipio a young pipping or
chirping bird, fr. pipire to peep, chirp. Cf. Peep to
chirp.]
1. (Zo["o]l.) Any bird of the order Columb[ae], of which
numerous species occur in nearly all parts of the world.
Note: The common domestic pigeon, or dove, was derived from
the Old World rock pigeon (Columba livia). It has
given rise to numerous very remarkable varieties, such
as the carrier, fantail, nun, pouter, tumbler, etc. The
common wild pigeons of the Eastern United States are
the passenger pigeon, and the Carolina dove. See under
Passenger, and Dove. See, also, Fruit pigeon,
Ground pigeon, Queen pigeon, Stock pigeon, under
Fruit, Ground, etc.
2. An unsuspected victim of sharpers; a gull. [Slang]
Blue pigeon (Zo["o]l.), an Australian passerine bird
(Graucalus melanops); -- called also black-faced crow.
Green pigeon (Zo["o]l.), any one of numerous species of Old
World pigeons belonging to the family Treronid[ae].
Imperial pigeon (Zo["o]l.), any one of the large Asiatic
fruit pigeons of the genus Carpophada.
Pigeon berry (Bot.), the purplish black fruit of the
pokeweed; also, the plant itself. See Pokeweed.
Pigeon English [perhaps a corruption of business English],
an extraordinary and grotesque dialect, employed in the
commercial cities of China, as the medium of communication
between foreign merchants and the Chinese. Its base is
English, with a mixture of Portuguese and Hindoostanee.
--Johnson's Cyc.
Pigeon grass (Bot.), a kind of foxtail grass ({Setaria
glauca}), of some value as fodder. The seeds are eagerly
eaten by pigeons and other birds.
Pigeon hawk. (Zo["o]l.)
(a) A small American falcon (Falco columbarius). The
adult male is dark slate-blue above, streaked with
black on the back; beneath, whitish or buff, streaked
with brown. The tail is banded.
(b) The American sharp-shinned hawk ({Accipiter velox, or
fuscus}).
Pigeon hole.
(a) A hole for pigeons to enter a pigeon house.
(b) See Pigeonhole.
(c) pl. An old English game, in which balls were rolled
through little arches. --Halliwell.
Pigeon house, a dovecote.
Pigeon pea (Bot.), the seed of Cajanus Indicus; a kind of
pulse used for food in the East and West Indies; also, the
plant itself.
Pigeon plum (Bot.), the edible drupes of two West African
species of Chrysobalanus (C. ellipticus and {C.
luteus}).
Pigeon tremex. (Zo["o]l.) See under Tremex.
Pigeon wood (Bot.), a name in the West Indies for the wood
of several very different kinds of trees, species of
Dipholis, Diospyros, and Coccoloba.
Pigeon woodpecker (Zo["o]l.), the flicker.
Prairie pigeon. (Zo["o]l.)
(a) The upland plover.
(b) The golden plover. [Local, U.S.]
Pi"geon, v. t.
To pluck; to fleece; to swindle by tricks in gambling.
[Slang] --Smart.
He's pigeoned and undone. --Observer.
See Also: bandtail, band-tail pigeon, band-tailed pigeon, Columba fasciata, Columba livia, Columba palumbus, Columbidae, columbiform bird, cushat, domestic pigeon, dove, Ectopistes migratorius, family Columbidae, passenger pigeon, pouter, pouter pigeon, ringdove, rock dove, rock pigeon, squab, wood pigeon
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