See Also: highbrowed(dictionary)

wagtail (iou) and highbrowed (iou)


wagtail (iou)



wagtail noun. E16.
[from WAG verb + TAIL noun1.]
Any of various small Eurasian and African songbirds of the genera Motacilla and Dendronanthus (family Motacillidae), which have a long tail that is continually wagged up and down and which usu. frequent watersides. E16.
pied wagtail, white wagtail, yellow wagtail, etc.
b. Any of various Other tail-wagging songbirds; esp. (a) Austral. = willy wagtail; (b) s.v. WILLY noun2; (b) N. Amer. = waterthrush s.v. WATER noun. M19.
Used as a familiar or contemptuous form of address to a man or young woman; esp. a licentious or unfaithful woman, a prostitute. L16-L18.
An artificial minnow used in trout-fishing. E20.
A vertical strip of wood placed in the side of the frame of a sash-window to keep the sashes separate when raised or lowered. M20.
Comb.: wagtail Dance = waggle Dance s.v. WAGGLE noun; wagtail flycatcher = sense 1b(a) above; wagtail warbler = sense 1b(b) above.

highbrowed (iou)



highbrowed adjective. M19.
[from HIGH adjective + BROW noun1 + -ED2.]
Having a high forehead. M19.
= HIGHBROW adjective. E20.