Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Same as herbrobert.
  • noun See Polygonum.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Plural form of redshank.
  • noun Common name of Adenostoma sparsifolium of southern California in the US and northern Baja California in Mexico.

Etymologies

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Examples

  • The rising tide was pushing little flocks of waders up the beach, including oystercatchers, redshanks and turnstones, the latter beautifully camouflaged as they fed on the exposed rocks.

    Birdwatch: Black redstart 2011

  • Knot spun away in a grey miniature cloud, wigeon split up into small groups while the redshanks did not seem to know what to do.

    Country diary: Cromarty Firth 2011

  • There are more birds, waders, among the weed that fringes the seals 'rocks, turnstones and redshanks probably, but so far away are they, and so well does their brown plumage blend with the background, it is difficult to be sure.

    Country diary: South Uist 2010

  • These at least are certainly redshanks; even at a distance it is possible to see that on landing they briefly hold their wings aloft in characteristic pose.

    Country diary: South Uist 2010

  • A group of gulls piloted a fishing boat to shore, diving in to snatch an occasional morsel, and oystercatchers swooped toward the mud banks in a flash of black and white, while small redshanks and sanderlings scurried to probe the slate.

    Naughty or Nice MELANIE GEORGE 2004

  • The moorland was full of snipes and teal, and curlews flying and crying, and lapwings flapping heavily, and ravens hovering round dead sheep; yet no redshanks nor dottrell, and scarce any golden plovers (of which we have great store generally) but vast lonely birds, that cried at night, and moved the whole air with their pinions; yet no man ever saw them.

    Lorna Doone Richard Doddridge 2004

  • A group of gulls piloted a fishing boat to shore, diving in to snatch an occasional morsel, and oystercatchers swooped toward the mud banks in a flash of black and white, while small redshanks and sanderlings scurried to probe the slate.

    Naughty or Nice MELANIE GEORGE 2004

  • A group of gulls piloted a fishing boat to shore, diving in to snatch an occasional morsel, and oystercatchers swooped toward the mud banks in a flash of black and white, while small redshanks and sanderlings scurried to probe the slate.

    Naughty or Nice MELANIE GEORGE 2004

  • On redshanks and tibs thou shalt every day dine, [10]

    Musa Pedestris - Three Centuries of Canting Songs and Slang Rhymes [1536 - 1896] John S. Farmer

  • It was rather fun wandering about the dark valleys with the stray bullets flying high overhead like redshanks whistling.

    Homage to Catalonia 1938

Comments

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  • Irish term for the bare-legged

    January 11, 2009