ostrich

Everyday

1. An ostrich is a very large bird from Africa that cannot fly but runs very fast on its long, strong legs. tree →
2. It is the biggest bird in the world and lays the biggest eggs. tree →

In the lessons

In maths: a bird counted; 2 legs each; also its speed or the weight of its eggs. In science: an ostrich is a bird even though it cannot fly; it has 2 toes on each foot. Myth: ostriches do not really bury their heads in the sand. Phrases: ostrich egg, ostrich feather, an ostrich farm.

Examples

• The farm has 12 ostriches. tree →
• An ostrich can run 70 km in an hour. tree →
• An ostrich egg weighs 1 kg. tree →
• How many legs do 5 ostriches have? tree →
• The ostrich is the biggest bird in the world. tree →
• Ostriches cannot fly, but they can run very fast. tree →
• An ostrich kicks hard to defend itself. tree →
• We saw ostriches on the safari park trip. tree →
• "Is that the Ostrich you talked about?" said the Eagle in disgust. tree →

Note

Plural «ostriches» (add -es after ch). A counted animal with 2 legs, often with a speed. Trap: though it is big, an ostrich has 2 legs, not 4. Myth: «hiding its head in the sand» is not true; the saying means ignoring a problem.

In Jewish tradition

In Leviticus it is one of the birds the Torah lists as unclean and not allowed as food.

Interpretation. The food laws name unclean birds, and the tradition keeps them from the diet of Jews who follow the Torah.

Examples

• and the ostrich, and the night-hawk, and the sea-mew, and the hawk after its kinds; (Torah LEV.11.16, JPS 1917) tree →
• I am become a brother to jackals, and a companion to ostriches. (Writings JOB.30.29, JPS 1917) tree →
• The wing of the ostrich beateth joyously; but are her pinions and feathers the kindly stork's? (Writings JOB.39.13, JPS 1917) tree →
• But wild-cats shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of ferrets; and ostriches shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there. (Prophets ISA.13.21, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Plural «ostriches» (add -es after ch). A counted animal with 2 legs, often with a speed. Trap: though it is big, an ostrich has 2 legs, not 4. Myth: «hiding its head in the sand» is not true; the saying means ignoring a problem.