canary
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also Canary
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[edit] English
[edit] Etymology
From the Latin Canariae insulae, "Canary Islands" (Spanish "Islas Canarias"); from the largest island Insula Canaria ("Dog Island" or "Canine Island"), named for its dogs, from canarius, "canine", from canis, dog.
[edit] Pronunciation
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Audio (US) (file)
[edit] Noun
canary (plural canaries)
- A small, usually yellow, finch (genus Serinus), a songbird native to the Canary Islands.
- Any of various small birds of different countries, most of which are largely yellow in colour.
- A light, slightly greenish, yellow colour.
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canary colour:
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- A light, sweet, white wine from the Canary Islands.
- A lively dance, possibly of Spanish origin (also called canaries).
- Any test subject, especially an inadvertent or unwilling one. (From the mining practice of using canaries to detect dangerous gases.)
- (informal) A female singer, soprano, a coloratura singer.
- (slang) An informer or snitch; a squealer.
- (slang) A (usually yellow) capsule of Nembutal™ barbiturate.
- (Australian, informal) A yellow sticker of unroadworthiness.
- 1993 September 12, Jacco Zwetsloot, “Warning About Speed Traps”, alt.folklore.urban, Usenet:
- The tendency in these types of situations (as far as I can see) is that because I don't think the act itself is illegal, the police will go through your vehicle systematically loking for anything wrong with it, to slap a canary on it (that's slang for an unroadworthy sticker) or present you with some other fine.
- 1999 January 16, Garry Lawson, “Noisy Bikes (Update)”, aus.motorcycles, Usenet:
- Yes, if the exhaust is to noisey[sic] they can slap a yellow canary on it, but the[n] who cares you got rid of it.
- 2003 February 14, Noddy, “Spare tyres”, aus.cars, Usenet:
- You don't have to carry a spare wheel for a car to be roadworthy, and if you *do* carry one, it doesn't have to be in a roadworthy condition *unless* you fit it [to] the car and drive on it.
If it's not and you get pinched, expect a canary...
- You don't have to carry a spare wheel for a car to be roadworthy, and if you *do* carry one, it doesn't have to be in a roadworthy condition *unless* you fit it [to] the car and drive on it.
- 1993 September 12, Jacco Zwetsloot, “Warning About Speed Traps”, alt.folklore.urban, Usenet:
[edit] Scientific names
[edit] Translations
bird from Canary Islands
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colour
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wine
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Nembutal-capsule
test object
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked
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[edit] Adjective
canary (comparative more canary, superlative most canary)
- Of a light yellow colour.
[edit] Translations
of a light yellow colour
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[edit] Verb
canary (third-person singular simple present canaries, present participle canarying, simple past and past participle canaried)
- (intransitive) to dance nimbly (as in the canary dance)
