redshank

English
a spotted redshank, Tringa erythropus
redshank moss, Ceratodon purpureus
lady's thumb or redshank, Persicaria maculosa

Etymology

red +‎ shank

Noun

redshank (plural redshanks)

  1. Either of two species of Old World wading bird in the genus Tringa that have long red legs.
  2. A species of moss (Ceratodon purpureus), also known as fire moss or purple horn toothed moss.
  3. Lady's thumb or redleg (Persicaria maculosa), an herb in the buckwheat family.
  4. (obsolete, derogatory) A bare-legged person; one of the Scottish Highlanders, who wore kilts.
    • 1997 [1596], Edmund Spenser, A Veue of the Present State of Ireland‎:
      Much worse then the former; for who that is experienced in those partes and knoweth not that the Oneales are neerely alied unto the Mac Oneales of Scotland, and to the Earle of Argill, from whom they use to have all ther succors of those Scottes and Redshanks?

Derived terms

Translations

See also

References
This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.