turkey
nouncommon in dialogue
- United Kingdom//ˈtɜːki//
- United States//ˈtɝki//
A bird in the genus Meleagris with a fan-shaped tail and wattled neck. A wild turkey of Meleagris gallopavo.
noun
- 1
obsoleteThe guinea fowl (family Numididae).
- 2
A bird in the genus Meleagris with a fan-shaped tail and wattled neck. A wild turkey of Meleagris gallopavo.
- 3
A bird in the genus Meleagris with a fan-shaped tail and wattled neck. A domesticated bird of Meleagris gallopavo domesticus.
It was a Turkey! He never could have stood upon his legs, that bird. He would have snapped 'em short off in a minute, like sticks of sealing-wax.
- 4
The flesh or meat of this bird eaten as food.
All week after Thanksgiving, I had turkey sandwiches for lunch.
- 5
With a distinguishing word: a bird resembling the Meleagris gallopavo (for example, the brush turkey or bush turkey (Alectura lathami), and the water turkey (Anhinga anhinga)).
- 6
An act of throwing three strikes in a row.
- 7
slangA patient feigning symptoms; a person faking illness or injury; a malingerer.
Mumford (1970) noted that the terms ‘crock’, ‘gomer’, and ‘turkey’, were sometimes utilized by interns to designate different types of undesirable patients, and sometimes used synonymously.
- 8
datedA pack carried by a lumberman; a bindle; also, a large travel bag, a suitcase.
- 9
slangA failure.
That film was a turkey.
And despite the gross incompetence of Hemmings' direction, the ludicrous script, and the heavy-handed acting, there remains a stellar reason to see and enjoy Just a Gigolo: David Bowie. David Bowie is a great actor, and not even this turkey can obscure that fact.
There were a few turkeys. In the rush to present a futuristic vision, the railways' heritage was largely forgotten and we ended up with new stations at Euston and at Coventry, its brash sidekick which I particularly loathe, although (of course) it won design awards.
- 10
slangA foolish or inept person.
The turkey cut in front of me and then berated me for running into him.
- 11
slangA prostitute.
Shorty think she slick, but everybody know she a turkey.
Etymology
Clipping of turkey-cock and turkey-hen, originally denoting the guinea fowl, an African bird that was first imported to Europe through Turkey, but there is some controversy over the origin. The word was then transferred to the superficially similar North American bird Meleagris gallopavo.
Forms
- plural
- turkeys, turkies
turkey · A bird in the genus Meleagris with a fan-shaped tail and wattled neck. A wild turkey of Meleagris gallopavo.
Turkey · A country located in Eastern Thrace in Southeastern Europe…Turkish · The official language of Turkey, Republic of Cyprus…turmoil · A state of great disorder or uncertainty.