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chicken

   Also found in: Medical, Acronyms, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.02 sec.
chick·en  (chkn)
n.
1.
a. The common domestic fowl (Gallus domesticus) or its young.
b. Any of various similar or related birds.
c. The flesh of the common domestic fowl.
2. Slang A coward.
3. Any of various foolhardy competitions in which the participants persist in a dangerous course of action until one loses nerve and stops.
4. Vulgar Slang A young gay male, especially as sought by an older man.
adj.
Slang Afraid; cowardly.
intr.v. chick·ened, chick·en·ing, chick·ens Slang
To act in a cowardly manner; lose one's nerve: chickened out at the last moment.

[Middle English chiken, from Old English ccen.]

chicken
Noun
1. a domestic fowl bred for its flesh or eggs
2. the flesh of this bird used for food
3. Slang a coward
Adjective
Slang cowardly [Old English ciecen]
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.chickenchicken - the flesh of a chicken used for food
Gallus gallus, chicken - a domestic fowl bred for flesh or eggs; believed to have been developed from the red jungle fowl
poultry - flesh of chickens or turkeys or ducks or geese raised for food
broiler - flesh of a small young chicken not over 2 1/2 lb suitable for broiling
capon - flesh of a castrated male chicken
frier, fryer, pullet - flesh of a medium-sized young chicken suitable for frying
roaster - flesh of a large young chicken over 3 1/2 lb suitable for roasting
spatchcock - flesh of a chicken (or game bird) split down the back and grilled (usually immediately after being killed)
hen - flesh of an older chicken suitable for stewing
white meat, breast - meat carved from the breast of a fowl
chicken wing - the wing of a chicken
2.chickenchicken - a domestic fowl bred for flesh or eggs; believed to have been developed from the red jungle fowl
domestic fowl, fowl, poultry - a domesticated gallinaceous bird thought to be descended from the red jungle fowl
chick, biddy - young bird especially of domestic fowl
rooster, cock - adult male chicken
capon - castrated male chicken
biddy, hen - adult female chicken
spring chicken - a young chicken having tender meat
Rhode Island red - American breed of heavy-bodied brownish-red general-purpose chicken
Dominick, Dominique - American breed of chicken having barred grey plumage raised for meat and brown eggs
Orpington - English breed of large chickens with white skin
chicken, poulet, volaille - the flesh of a chicken used for food
3.chickenchicken - a person who lacks confidence, is irresolute and wishy-washy
doormat, weakling, wuss - a person who is physically weak and ineffectual
4.chicken - a foolhardy competition; a dangerous activity that is continued until one competitor becomes afraid and stops
contest, competition - an occasion on which a winner is selected from among two or more contestants
Adj.1.chickenchicken - easily frightened
colloquialism - a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech
cowardly, fearful - lacking courage; ignobly timid and faint-hearted; "cowardly dogs, ye will not aid me then"- P.B.Shelley
Translations
Spanish chicken [ˈtʃɪkɪn] ngallina, pollo;
(food) → pollo;
(col) (= coward); gallina m/f
chicken out vi (col) → rajarse;
to chicken out of doing sth → rajarse y no hacer algo

French chicken [ˈtʃɪkɪn] npoulet m;
(inf) (= coward); poule mouillée
chicken out vi (inf) → se dégonfler

German chicken [ˈtʃɪkɪn] nHuhn nt;
(meat) → Hähnchen nt;
(inf) (coward) → Feigling m
chicken out chicken (inf) vi to chicken out of doing sth → davor kneifen, etw zu tun

Italian chicken [ˈtʃɪkɪn] npollo;
(col) (= coward); coniglio
chicken out vi (col) → avere fifa;
to chicken out of sth → tirarsi indietro da qc per fifa or paura

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Sauntering around the corner of the house in the early morning, he came upon a chicken that had escaped from the chicken-yard.
In the course of his careful feeding of him, he gave him an occasional chicken bone.
The chicken crept through the pales of the coop and ran, with some show of liveliness, to her feet; while Chanticleer and the ladies of his household regarded her with queer, sidelong glances, and then croaked one to another, as if communicating their sage opinions of her character.
 
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