canary
/kə'neəri/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- A small songbird: A small, brightly colored finch native to the Canary Islands, often kept as a pet for its melodious song.
- A light to moderate yellow color: A bright, cheerful yellow color, named after the bird's typical plumage.
- An informer: (Slang) A person who informs on others to the authorities; a police informant.
- A female singer: (Archaic/Informal) A term for a female vocalist, especially in jazz or popular music contexts.
Adjective:
- Having a light yellow color: Of a color resembling that of a canary bird; a bright, light yellow.
Usage Examples
- Noun (Bird):
- She keeps a canary in a cage by the window.
- The canary's song filled the room with music.
- Noun (Color):
- She painted her kitchen a cheerful canary.
- Noun (Informer):
- The gang discovered there was a canary in their midst.
- Adjective:
- She wore a beautiful canary dress to the party.
Advanced Usage
- "Canary in a coal mine": A metaphor for an early warning of danger. Historically, miners carried canaries into mines; if the bird died, it signaled the presence of toxic gases.
- Rising inflation is often seen as a canary in a coal mine for economic recession.
Variants and Related Words
- Canary bird: Another term for the canary finch.
- Canary yellow: A specific shade of bright yellow.
- Canary wine: (Historical) A type of sweet wine from the Canary Islands.
Synonyms
- Finch (for the bird)
- Yellow, lemon (for the color)
- Informant, snitch (for the informer)
- Vocalist, songstress (for the singer)
Related Phrases
- Sing like a canary: (Idiom) To confess or inform on someone fully and willingly.
- Faced with the evidence, the suspect decided to sing like a canary.
Adjective
- having the color of a canary; of a light to moderate yellow
Noun
- any of several small Old World finches
- a moderate yellow with a greenish tinge
- a female singer
- someone acting as an informer or decoy for the police