the real estate buzzards were really putting pressure on the one homeowner who was still refusing to sell
that crotchety old man can be a real buzzard when he's in a bad mood—which is usually the case
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In Britain, the word buzzard refers chiefly to several birds of prey of the hawk genus Buteo. In North America, a buzzard is any of various New World vultures, especially the turkey vulture. In Australia, a large hawk of the genus Hamirostra is called a black-breasted buzzard. Buteos, also called buzzard hawks, can usually be distinguished when soaring by their broad wings and expansive rounded tail. The plumage of most species is dark brown above and white or mottled brown below; the tail and underside of the wings are usually barred. Buteos customarily prey on insects, small mammals, and occasionally birds. They nest in trees or on cliffs. Species range over much of the New World, Eurasia, and Africa. The red-tailed hawk, the most common North American buteo, is about 2 ft (60 cm) long.
First Known Use: 14th century
in the meaning defined at sense 1
See Words from the same year: a kind of large bird that eats animals that are already dead
: a kind of large hawk
Spanish Central: Translation of buzzard Nglish: Translation of buzzard for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about buzzard
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