pigeon
/'pidʤin/
Definition
Noun: 1. A type of bird: A bird, typically with a plump body, short legs, and a small head, belonging to the family Columbidae. They are often found in both wild and domesticated varieties. 2. A person who is easily deceived: (Informal, dated) A person who is gullible or easily cheated, especially in a swindle or con game.
Examples
- Noun (Bird):
- A flock of pigeons gathered in the city square, pecking at crumbs.
- The homing pigeon returned to its loft after flying hundreds of miles.
- Noun (Person):
- In the old scam, the con artist saw the tourist as an easy pigeon. (Note: This usage is now less common.)
Advanced Usage
- "to be someone's pigeon": (British English, informal and dated) To be someone's responsibility or concern.
- Organizing the transport is your pigeon; I'll handle the catering.
Variants and Related Words
- Clay pigeon (n): A breakable disc made of clay, hurled into the air as a target for shooting practice.
- He spent the afternoon shooting clay pigeons at the range.
- Pigeonhole (n & v):
- (Noun) A small compartment for sorting documents or mail.
- (Verb) To assign someone or something to a rigid category, often unfairly.
- Pigeon-toed (adj): Having feet that point inward when walking.
Synonyms
- Bird: Dove (Note: "Dove" often refers to smaller species and has more peaceful connotations, but biologically, doves and pigeons belong to the same family).
- Person: Dupe, sucker, mark, patsy (all informal terms for a gullible person).
Related Phrases
- To pluck a pigeon: (Idiomatic, dated) To swindle or cheat a gullible person out of money.
- The card sharp's specialty was plucking pigeons in fancy hotels.
Related Idioms
- Stool pigeon: (Slang) A person, often a criminal, who acts as a decoy or informer for the police.
- The gang discovered he was a stool pigeon and dealt with him harshly.
Noun
-
wild and domesticated birds having a heavy body and short legs
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