chicken

¹chick·en

noun \ˈchi-k^ən, sometimes -k^əŋ\

Definition of CHICKEN

1

a : the common domestic fowl (Gallus gallus) especially when young; also : its flesh used as food — compare jungle fowl

b : any of various birds or their young

2

: a young woman

3

a : coward

b : any of various contests in which the participants risk personal safety in order to see which one will give up first

4

[short for chickenshit] slang : petty details

5

slang : a young male homosexual

Examples of CHICKEN

1. We had chicken for dinner.
2. It's just a spider, you chicken!
3. Don't be such a big chicken.

Origin of CHICKEN

Middle English chiken, from Old English cicen young chicken; akin to Old English cocc cock

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to CHICKEN

Synonyms

coward, craven, cur, dastard, funk, poltroon, recreant, sissy

Antonyms

hero, stalwart, valiant

Related Words

defeatist, quitter; cream puff, milquetoast, pushover, pussy [slang], weakling, wimp; caitiff, snake, sneak; ostrich, scaramouch (or scaramouche)

Near Antonyms

daredevil

Other Birds Terms

aerie, bunting, clutch, covey, hackle, ratite, rictus, ruff, skein, zygodactyl

²chicken

adjective

Definition of CHICKEN

1

a : scared

b : timid, cowardly

2

slang

a : insistent on petty details of duty or discipline

b : petty, unimportant

Examples of CHICKEN

1. <too chicken to go through with the stunt>
2. <just concentrate on the important duties of the job and forget about the chicken stuff>

First Known Use of CHICKEN

1941

Related to CHICKEN

Synonyms

cowardly, chickenhearted, chicken-livered, craven, dastardly, gutless, lily-livered, milk-livered [archaic], poltroon, pusillanimous, recreant, spineless, unheroic, yellow

Antonyms

brave, courageous, daring, dauntless, doughty, fearless, gallant, greathearted, gutsy, hardy, heroic (also heroical), intrepid, lionhearted, stalwart, stout, stouthearted, valiant, valorous

Related Words

diffident, fainthearted, fearful, timid, timorous; afraid, frightened, scared; careful, cautious, wary; bashful, coy, shy; feeble, soft, unmanly, weak

Near Antonyms

audacious, bold, brazen, cheeky, nervy; plucky, spirited, spunky; determined, resolute

Rhymes with CHICKEN

quicken, sicken, stricken, thicken

³chicken

intransitive verb

chick·enedchick·en·ing \ˈchi-k^ən-iŋ, ˈchik-niŋ\

Definition of CHICKEN

: to lose one's nerve —usually used with out <seemed to exhibit courage, manliness, and conviction when others chickened out — J. R. Seeley>

First Known Use of CHICKEN

1943

chicken

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

One of the most widely domesticated poultry species (Gallus gallus), raised worldwide for its meat and eggs. Descended from the wild red jungle fowl of India, chickens have been domesticated for at least 4,000 years. Not until the 19th century did chicken meat and eggs become mass-production commodities. Modern high-volume poultry farms, with rows of cages stacked indoors for control of heat, light, and humidity, began to proliferate in Britain c. 1920 and in the U.S. after World War II (see factory farming). Females are raised for meat and eggs; immature males are castrated to become meat birds called capons. See also prairie chicken.