crow-bill

A surgeon uses a crow-bill to remove a small object from a patient's leg.

Definition

1. Noun (Medicine):
   • A type of surgical forceps: "crow-bill" refers to a specialized instrument used to extract bullets or foreign objects from wounds, characterized by its beak-like shape resembling a crow's bill.

Usage Examples

• (A medical tool for extracting projectiles.)
• (Historical surgical equipment.)

Advanced Usage

• "to apply a crow-bill": to use this forceps in a surgical procedure.
  • The physician carefully applied the crow-bill to grasp the embedded shrapnel. (Used precisely to extract a foreign body.)

Variants and Related Words

• Crowbill (n): alternative spelling of "crow-bill," often used in modern medical texts.
  • The antique crowbill is now a museum piece. (Historical surgical instrument.)
• Bullet forceps (n): a broader term for surgical tools used to extract bullets; "crow-bill" is a specific type.
  • Bullet forceps include both crow-bills and other designs. (Category of instruments.)

Synonyms

• Bullet extractor: a device for removing bullets from wounds.
• Surgical forceps: general term for pincer-like medical tools.

Related Idioms

• "To have a crow-bill grip": (figurative) a very firm, unyielding hold.
  • The toddler had a crow-bill grip on her mother's hand. (A tight, beak-like hold, though not medical.)