thrush

Everyday

1. A songbird with a brown back and a spotted chest, such as the song thrush; the American robin is also a thrush. tree →
2. (medicine) An infection caused by a yeast (a fungus), which makes white patches in the mouth or itching. tree →

In the lessons

In nature lessons the song thrush is known for repeating its song phrases and smashing snail shells on stones. In health topics, thrush is a common, treatable infection, often in babies' mouths. Phrases: song thrush, mistle thrush.

Examples

• A song thrush was singing in the garden at dawn. tree →
• The thrush cracked a snail shell on a stone. tree →
• Thrushes have speckled chests. tree →
• The American robin is actually a kind of thrush. tree →
• The baby had thrush, so the doctor gave some medicine. tree →
• We saw a mistle thrush eating berries. tree →
• Blackbird, thrush, and chaffinch gay, hither, thither, haste away! tree →

Note

The bird is countable (thrushes); the illness is uncountable. Two very different meanings with one spelling.