fowl

noun (a fowl, fowl or fowls)

«fowl» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition and Early Modern English — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

Everyday

A bird kept for its eggs or meat, such as a chicken, duck, goose or turkey. tree →
(old or in phrases) Any bird, as in «wildfowl» or «the fowl of the air» in the Bible. tree →

In the lessons

On farms, fowl are kept for eggs and meat. In the Bible and old texts, «fowl» means birds in general. In hunting and nature, «wildfowl» are ducks and geese. Phrases: «neither fish nor fowl» (not clearly one thing or another), «wildfowl», «waterfowl».

Examples

The farmer keeps fowl for their eggs. tree →
Ducks and geese are waterfowl. tree →
In the Bible, God made «the fowl of the air». tree →
The market sold fresh fowl at Christmas. tree →
Wildfowl gathered on the frozen lake. tree →
The idea was neither fish nor fowl. tree →
"Cluck, cluck!" And some fowls came. tree →

Note

Plural is often the same, «fowl», especially for a group. Homophone trap: «fowl» (bird) sounds like «foul» (dirty, smelly, or against the rules in sport).

In Jewish tradition

Any bird, especially one counted as clean or unclean for eating.

Interpretation. The law lists which birds may be eaten and which may not; it also forbids eating the blood of birds, and fowl could be burnt offerings.

Examples

And ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings. (Torah LEV.7.26, JPS 1917) tree →
the likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the heaven, (Torah DEU.4.17, JPS 1917) tree →
Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the ground, (Torah GEN.7.8, JPS 1917) tree →
Beasts and all cattle, creeping things and winged fowl; (Writings PSA.148.10, JPS 1917) tree →
Beside them dwell the fowl of the heaven, from among the branches they sing. (Writings PSA.104.12, JPS 1917) tree →
I know all the fowls of the mountains; and the wild beasts of the field are Mine. (Writings PSA.50.11, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Plural is often the same, «fowl», especially for a group. Homophone trap: «fowl» (bird) sounds like «foul» (dirty, smelly, or against the rules in sport).

Early Modern English

Meaning

any bird, including wild birds and flying creatures. tree →

Then and now

Today fowl usually means a farm bird such as a chicken or duck; here it means any bird of the air.

Examples

And ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings. (Torah LEV.7.26, JPS 1917) tree →
I should like to have that fowl. (Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen) tree →
the likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the heaven, (Torah DEU.4.17, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Today: bird.

On Mova

Trees and pragmatics of «fowl» in the school dictionary: every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
«fowl» in the school dictionary on Mova free.
Trees and pragmatics of «fowl» in the Judaism dictionary: every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
«fowl» in the Judaism dictionary on Mova free.
Trees and pragmatics of «fowl» in the Early Modern English dictionary: every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
«fowl» in the Early Modern English dictionary on Mova free.

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