thrush
/θrʌʃ/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A type of songbird: A small or medium-sized songbird belonging to the family Turdidae, typically having brownish upper plumage with a spotted or streaked breast.
- A female singer: (Informal, often dated) A woman who sings popular songs, especially in a professional context.
- A fungal infection: An infection caused by the yeast Candida albicans, appearing as white patches, most commonly in the mouth (oral thrush) or other moist areas of the body.
Examples of Usage
- Noun (Songbird):
- The song of the thrush is a beautiful sound in the spring forest.
- We spotted a thrush with a speckled chest hopping on the lawn.
- Noun (Singer):
- She was the most famous nightclub thrush of her era. (Note: This usage is now less common.)
- Noun (Infection):
- The doctor diagnosed the white patches in the baby's mouth as thrush.
- Oral thrush can cause discomfort when eating.
Advanced Usage
- "To have a thrush": To be suffering from the fungal infection known as thrush.
- The patient with a weakened immune system has a persistent thrush.
Variants and Related Words
- Song thrush (n): A specific species of thrush () known for its musical song.
- Mistle thrush (n): A larger European thrush () that feeds on mistletoe berries.
- Ant thrush (n): A bird of a different family (Formicariidae) found in tropical America, not a true thrush.
- Thrush-like (adj): Resembling a thrush bird in some characteristic.
Synonyms
- Songbird: For the bird meaning (e.g., blackbird, robin—which are types of thrushes).
- Candidiasis: The medical term for the infection caused by , which includes thrush.
- Yeast infection: A general term for infections caused by yeast fungi like .
Related Phrases
- Thrush nightingale: Another name for the common nightingale (), a bird noted for its song.
- To treat thrush: To apply medication to cure the fungal infection.
Related Idioms
(There are no common idioms that centrally feature the word "thrush.")
Noun
- songbirds characteristically having brownish upper plumage with a spotted breast
- a woman who sings popular songs
- candidiasis of the oral cavity; seen mostly in infants or debilitated adults