birdlime

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

noun a sticky adhesive that is smeared on small branches to capture small birds
verb spread birdlime on branches to catch birds

Partial calque of German Vogelleim. By surface analysis, bird + lime.

That holds them like birdlime. — Ulysses, James Joyce
Sometimes they catch them with a viscous birdlime that paralyses their movements. — Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea, Jules Verne
Let my soul cleave unto Thee, now that Thou hast freed it from that fast-holding birdlime of death. — The Confessions of St. Augustine, of Hippo, Saint Augustine

lime

Type a word, a sentence, a book title, or a link to an English article. WordNet and the Classics answer.

Try

A library of classics · a vault of words · instant etymology & meaning

From: —

Output

Worksheet Type (multi-select)

Scope

Difficulty

Max questions

0 words Min 50 words / Max 2,000 words