carrier-pigeon
Definition
Noun: A carrier-pigeon is a specific breed of pigeon (particularly the homing pigeon) trained to carry messages tied to its leg or attached to its body, historically used for communication over long distances.
Usage Examples
- (A pigeon trained to transport messages from one location to another.)
- (A pigeon employed for long-distance message delivery.)
Advanced Usage
- "to be a carrier-pigeon": (figurative) to act as a messenger or intermediary, especially in a secret or urgent context.
- She served as a carrier-pigeon between the two rival factions, delivering their proposals. (She acted as a go-between, carrying information.)
Variants and Related Words
Homing pigeon (n): a pigeon bred for its ability to find its way home over long distances, often used as a carrier-pigeon.
- The homing pigeon can navigate hundreds of miles to return to its loft. (A pigeon with a strong navigational instinct.)
Carrier (n): a person or thing that carries something; in this context, the pigeon itself.
- The carrier was released with a message tied to its leg. (The pigeon that transports the message.)
Synonyms
- Messenger pigeon: a pigeon trained to deliver messages.
- Homing pigeon: a pigeon with a natural homing instinct, often used for carrying messages.
Related Idioms
"Pigeon post": a system of communication using carrier-pigeons.
- The army relied on pigeon post when telegraph lines were cut. (Message delivery using trained pigeons.)
"To send a pigeon": to dispatch a message via a carrier-pigeon.
- He sent a pigeon to headquarters with the coordinates. (He released a trained pigeon carrying a note.)