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Yardbird

//ˈjɑɹd.bɝd// noun, slang

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A chicken. US, slang
  2. 2
    a person serving a sentence in a jail or prison wordnet
  3. 3
    A person who is imprisoned. US, slang

    "The working convict is a rare exception, sometimes envied because his time is occupied, sometimes derided for his deviance from the yardbird norm."

  4. 4
    a military recruit who is assigned menial tasks wordnet
  5. 5
    A soldier who is required to perform menial work on the grounds of a military base. US, slang

    "As the Marines expanded to war strength, Lou Diamond was the ideal liaison between crusty old-timers and impressionable recruits. He taught quick action by threats of yardbird detail."

Etymology

From yard + bird. Attested since 1956 in the sense of ‘convict,’ derived from the idea of prison yards. During World War II, it meant ‘basic trainee’ among the armed forces.

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