chick
/tʃik/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A young bird, especially a domestic chicken: A newly hatched or very young bird, most commonly referring to a baby chicken.
- Informal term for a young woman: A slang term, often considered dated or potentially offensive, used to refer to a young woman.
Usage and Examples
- Noun (Young Bird):
- The hen protected her chick from the rain.
- We saw a duck with several chicks on the pond.
- Noun (Informal: Young Woman):
- He was trying to impress the chicks at the party. (Note: This usage is informal and can be perceived as disrespectful.)
Advanced Usage and Notes
- The informal use for a young woman is considered slang. Its acceptability has changed over time, and it is now often viewed as derogatory or objectifying. It is best avoided in formal or polite contexts.
- The primary and neutral meaning refers exclusively to a young bird.
Variants and Related Words
- Chicken (n): The adult bird, especially of the domestic fowl.
- We keep chickens for their eggs.
- Chickadee (n): A type of small North American bird. (This is a specific bird name, not a variant of "chick").
Synonyms
- For young bird: Nestling, fledgling, baby bird.
- For young woman (informal): Girl, gal (informal), bird (UK slang). (Note: Many synonyms in this category are also informal or slang.)
Idioms and Phrases
- Neither chick nor child: An old idiom meaning to have no children or dependents at all.
- They have neither chick nor child to worry about.
- One chick keeps a hen busy: A proverb suggesting that even one child requires a lot of attention and care.
Noun
- informal terms for a (young) woman
- young bird especially of domestic fowl