windhover
Definition
- Noun:
- A bird of prey: "windhover" is a specific type of falcon, known scientifically as Falco tinnunculus, commonly called the kestrel. It is characterized by its ability to hover in mid-air while hunting for prey, typically small mammals or insects.
Usage Examples
- (The kestrel remained stationary in the air while looking for food.)
- (The kestrel is praised for its elegant hovering ability.)
Advanced Usage
- Poetic reference: The word "windhover" is famously used in the poem "The Windhover" by Gerard Manley Hopkins, where it symbolizes beauty, power, and divine grace.
- In Hopkins' poem, the windhover becomes a metaphor for Christ's majesty. (The kestrel represents spiritual grandeur.)
Variants and Related Words
- Hover (verb): to remain suspended in the air in one place.
- The helicopter can hover above the landing pad. (It stays still in the air.)
- Windhover (compound): This word itself is a compound of "wind" and "hover," directly describing the bird's characteristic flight behavior.
Synonyms
- Kestrel: the common name for the windhover.
- The kestrel is a small falcon often seen hovering over fields. (The windhover and kestrel are the same bird.)
- Falcon: a broader term for birds of prey in the genus .
- Falcons are known for their speed and hunting skills. (Windhovers belong to this group.)
Related Idioms
- To hover like a windhover: to remain poised and alert in a situation.
- The negotiator hovered like a windhover, waiting for the right moment to act. (He stayed still and watchful, ready to intervene.)
Phrasal Verbs