lich-owl
Definition
Noun (also spelled lich owl or lich-owl): 1. A type of owl: A bird of the genus Strix, particularly the tawny owl (Strix aluco), known for its hooting call and nocturnal habits. 2. A death omen: In folklore, the "lich-owl" is a bird whose appearance or call is believed to foretell death or misfortune. The word "lich" itself derives from Old English līc, meaning "corpse" or "body."
Usage Examples
- Bird species:
- The lich-owl hooted from the old oak tree at midnight. (A tawny owl made its characteristic call.)
- Superstition:
- In rural England, the cry of a lich-owl was thought to signal a death in the village. (The owl's call was interpreted as a bad omen.)
Advanced Usage
- "Lich-owl" as a literary term: Used in poetry or gothic literature to evoke an atmosphere of doom or the supernatural.
- The lich-owl's mournful cry echoed through the graveyard, chilling the hearts of those who heard it. (The owl's call intensifies the eerie setting.)
Variants and Related Words
- Lich (n): a dead body, corpse (archaic).
- The lich lay in the tomb, untouched for centuries. (The corpse remained undisturbed.)
- Owl (n): a nocturnal bird of prey.
- The barn owl flew silently across the field. (A different species of owl.)
Synonyms
- Tawny owl: the common name for .
- Death-bird: a folk term for any bird believed to portend death.
- Screech-owl: another owl species sometimes associated with omens (though not the same as the lich-owl).
Related Idioms
- "To be as silent as a lich-owl": to be very quiet or stealthy (rare, based on the owl's silent flight).
- He crept through the house as silent as a lich-owl. (He moved without making a sound.)
- "To hear the lich-owl": to receive a warning of approaching doom (archaic).
- When the old man heard the lich-owl, he knew his time was near. (He interpreted the owl's call as a death omen.)