storm-finch

A storm-finch flies low over the ocean waves.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A small seabird: "storm-finch" refers to a small petrel, specifically of the family Hydrobatidae, often seen fluttering over the ocean surface during stormy weather. It is also known as a storm petrel or storm-bird.

Usage Examples

• (A small seabird that lives far from shore.)
• (A bird associated with stormy weather.)

Advanced Usage

• "storm-finch" as a poetic term: In literature, it may be used metaphorically to describe something small but resilient in the face of adversity.
  • Like a storm-finch, she weathered the tempest of life with grace. (She endured difficulties with small but persistent strength.)

Variants and Related Words

• Storm petrel (n): another common name for the same bird.
  • The storm petrel is known for its erratic flight over waves. (A synonym for storm-finch.)
• Storm-bird (n): an alternative name for the storm-finch.
  • The storm-bird appears just before a gale. (Another term for the same seabird.)
• Petrel (n): a general term for seabirds in the order Procellariiformes.
  • Many petrels, including the storm-finch, nest on remote islands. (A broader category of birds.)

Synonyms

• Storm petrel: the most common synonym.
• Mother Carey's chicken: an old sailor's term for the storm-finch.
• Storm-bird: a less common synonym.

Related Idioms

• "As small as a storm-finch": used to describe someone or something very tiny but hardy.
  • The old woman was as small as a storm-finch, but she outlived everyone. (Very small in size but enduring.)