shitehawk
English edit
Etymology edit
Noun edit
shitehawk (plural shitehawks)
- (UK, Ireland, informal) A large scavenging or predatory bird; especially (originally in military use in South Asia) the black kite.
- 1999 April 28, Lord Burton, “Capercaillie”, in parliamentary debates (House of Lords)[1], column 423:
- Possibly one of the most highly protected birds today is the kite, known by the British Army throughout the world as a shite-hawk.
- 2006 March 11, Simon Barnes, “At deep mid-wicket I can see a face like a gargoyle – but wings like an angel”, in The Times, page 23:
- Shite-hawks..are more properly known as black kites,..gaining their unlovely nickname from British troops who used to get the meat stolen from their plates by these bold and skilful birds.
- (UK, Ireland, informal) The European herring gull.
- (UK, Ireland, informal) An objectionable person; a twat or wanker.
- 1997, Valerie Maher, Sarah's Gate: Tales from Ballyhornet:
- "Watch yer language, ye shitehawk." His da had heard the din from the kitchen and had decided to have his say in the matter.
- 2001, Gary Owen, Crazy Gary's Mobile Disco:
- What must it be like, to be such a fucking gimp, and see perfection, and know you're too much of a shitehawk to ever have it?
- 2005, Andrew M Greeley, The Priestly Sins:
- When I win, Liam still suggests on the eighteenth green that I'm a nine-fingered shitehawk.
- 2007, Chris Oakley, Football Delirium:
- ...any analyst who puts out a book with the word "ethics" in the title is invariably an incorrigible shitehawk.
References edit
- "shitehawk, n.". OED Online. December 2012. Oxford University Press.