corbie

An old corbie perches on a mossy stone wall.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A raven or crow: In Scottish and Northern English dialects, "corbie" refers specifically to a raven or a crow, often associated with folklore and superstition.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The old castle was haunted by a solitary corbie perched on the tower. (A raven or crow.)
  • In Scottish legend, the corbie is often seen as an omen of death or change. (A raven or crow in folklore.)

Advanced Usage

• "Corbie steps": Stepped gables on a building, resembling the shape of a crow's beak or steps a crow might take.

  • The historic house featured distinctive corbie steps along its roofline. (Architectural feature.)

• "Corbie messenger": In Scottish folklore, a raven believed to carry messages between the living and the dead.

  • The old woman claimed the corbie messenger brought her news from beyond. (A mythical raven.)

Variants and Related Words

• Corbie-crow (n): a compound term for a crow or raven, especially in Scottish dialect.
  • The corbie-crow flew low over the battlefield. (A raven or crow.)

Synonyms

• Raven: a large, black bird of the crow family.
• Crow: a smaller, black bird of the corvid family, known for its cawing call.

Related Idioms

• "Corbie's feast": A phrase describing a scene of death or destruction where ravens and crows would gather to scavenge.
  • After the battle, the field became a corbie's feast. (A grim scene of scavenging birds.)