squab

(skwŏb)

1. A young, newly hatched, or unfledged pigeon.

a. A soft, thick cushion, as for a couch.

b. A couch.

adj.

Young and undeveloped; newly hatched or unfledged: a squab chick.

[Probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Swedish dialectal squabb, fat flesh.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

squab

(skwɒb)

n, pl squabs or squab

1. (Zoology) a young unfledged bird, esp a pigeon

2. a short fat person

3. (Furniture)

a. a well-stuffed bolster or cushion

b. a sofa

adj

4. (Zoology) (of a bird) recently hatched and still unfledged

5. short and fat

[C17: probably of Germanic origin; compare Swedish dialect sqvabb flabby skin, sqvabba fat woman, German Quabbe soft mass, Norwegian kvabb mud]

ˈsquabby adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

squab

(skwɒb)

n., pl. squabs, (esp. collectively for 1 ) squab, n.

1. a nestling pigeon, marketed when fully grown but still unfledged.

2. a short, stout person.

3. a thickly stuffed, soft cushion.

adj.

4. short and broad.

5. (of a bird) unfledged or newly hatched.

[1630–40; probably < Scandinavian; compare Norwegian skvabb soft, wet mass]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	squab - flesh of a pigeon suitable for roasting or braising; flesh of a dove (young squab) may be broiled dove domestic pigeon - domesticated pigeon raised for sport or food poultry - flesh of chickens or turkeys or ducks or geese raised for food
	2.	squab - a soft padded sofa couch, lounge, sofa - an upholstered seat for more than one person
	3.	squab - an unfledged pigeon pigeon - wild and domesticated birds having a heavy body and short legs
Adj.	1.	squab - short and fat squabby short, little - low in stature; not tall; "he was short and stocky"; "short in stature"; "a short smokestack"; "a little man"

Translations

coussin pigeonneau

díványpárnagalambfiókavarjúfióka

piccioncino

duvungeråkungesoffkudde

squab

[skwɒb] N (squabs, squab (pl)) (Orn) (= young pigeon) → pichón m; (= chick) → pollito m, polluelo m

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

squab

(Orn) → Jungtaube f

(Aut) → Bank f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

In the middle of this I had my tent always standing, being a piece of a sail spread over poles, set up for that purpose, and which never wanted any repair or renewing; and under this I had made me a squab or couch with the skins of the creatures I had killed, and with other soft things, and a blanket laid on them, such as belonged to our sea-bedding, which I had saved; and a great watch-coat to cover me.

View in context

There were pears and apples, clustered high in blooming pyramids; there were bunches of grapes, made, in the shopkeepers' benevolence to dangle from conspicuous hooks, that people's mouths might water gratis as they passed; there were piles of filberts, mossy and brown, recalling, in their fragrance, ancient walks among the woods, and pleasant shufflings ankle deep through withered leaves; there were Norfolk Biffins, squab and swarthy, setting off the yellow of the oranges and lemons, and, in the great compactness of their juicy persons, urgently entreating and beseeching to be carried home in paper bags and eaten after dinner.

View in context

When he experimented in a small way at raising a few pigeons for market, he found no less zest in calculating in squabs than formerly when he had calculated in millions.

View in context

With these words, Kate hurried away, to hide the traces of emotion that were stealing down her face, and to prepare herself for the walk, while Mrs Nickleby amused her brother-in-law by giving him, with many tears, a detailed account of the dimensions of a rosewood cabinet piano they had possessed in their days of affluence, together with a minute description of eight drawing-room chairs, with turned legs and green chintz squabs to match the curtains, which had cost two pounds fifteen shillings apiece, and had gone at the sale for a mere nothing.

View in context

In addition to being another word for a stuffed cushion, a squab is a young pigeon.

GO WILDWITH ERIC PAYLOR

Ours included squab pigeon with Hereford snail Bolognese, tender Welsh lamb rump and shoulder with Jerusalem artichoke and hazelnuts and dark chocolate tart with confit orange sorbet.

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But it's a pub too, and you'll find locals propping up the bar as well as couples sitting down to romantic meals of Dorset crab ravioli and squab pigeon with braised endive and puy lentils.

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Tutt, 36, impressed judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace with three final dishes inspired by his MasterChef journey - a roast scallop and smoked cauliflower starter, a squab pigeon breast main with spiced cherries, and a bitter chocolate and ale ice cream dessert.

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But it was the 35-yearold's main course of squab pigeon breast and bon-bon, heritage beetroot, baby turnip, spiced cherries, bread sauce and game jus that blew away judges John Torode and Greg Wallace.

Pigeon, only fancier; Game bird dish wins banker Masterchef title

"I've put my heart and soul into it and it's been an absolute pleasure, up there with the happiest days of my life." Kenny's winning meal involved roast scallops, a squab pigeon breast main and a bitter chocolate dessert.

PRESSURE COOKER; Kenny takes Master Chef title as it 'falls into place' after cauli-wobble