dead bird

English

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Noun

dead bird (plural dead birds)

1. (baseball, slang) A ball which falls over the infielders’ heads for a hit, as if it were a bird shot by a hunter.

   Jones got on board with a dead bird to start the innning.

2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see dead,‎ bird.
   • 1888, Oscar Wilde, “The Happy Prince”, in The Happy Prince and Other Tales:

     “Bring me the two most precious things in the city,” said God to one of His Angels; and the Angel brought Him the leaden heart and the dead bird.