fowling

A hunter practices fowling in the marsh.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • The activity of hunting wild birds: "fowling" refers to the practice of pursuing, shooting, or trapping birds, especially for food or sport.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • He spent the weekend fowling in the marshes. (He was hunting wild birds in the wetlands.)
  • Fowling was a common source of food for early settlers. (The hunting of birds provided sustenance.)

Advanced Usage

• "fowling piece": a lightweight shotgun or gun used specifically for hunting birds.
  • He carried a fowling piece on his shoulder as he walked through the fields. (A gun designed for bird hunting.)

Variants and Related Words

• Fowl (n): a bird, especially one kept for its eggs or meat, or hunted for sport.
  • The farmer raised fowl for eggs and meat. (Domestic birds like chickens or ducks.)
• Fowler (n): a person who hunts wild birds.
  • The fowler set traps along the riverbank. (A bird hunter.)
• Fowling itself is the gerund or present participle form of the verb "to fowl," though "fowl" as a verb is less common.

Synonyms

• Bird hunting: the act of pursuing birds for sport or food.
• Avian hunting: a more formal term for hunting birds.
• Shooting: in context, can refer to hunting birds with a gun.

Related Idioms

• No specific idioms are commonly associated with "fowling" alone, but related phrases include:
  • "To shoot fowl": to hunt birds with a gun.

    • They went out to shoot fowl at dawn. (To hunt birds early in the morning.)
  • "To trap fowl": to catch birds using snares or cages.

    • The villagers used nets to trap fowl for the market. (To capture birds for sale.)