finch

name

1. A surname transferred from the nickname, from finch as a byname or for a catcher and seller of finches.
2. A community and former township in North Stormont, United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, Ontario, Canada.

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *(s)ping- Proto-Germanic *finkiz Proto-Indo-European *(s)ping- Proto-Germanic *finkô Old English finċ Middle English fynch English finch From Middle English fynch, from Old English finċ, from Proto-West Germanic *finki, from Proto-Germanic *finkiz (compare Dutch vink, German Fink), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)pingos (“chaffinch”). Compare Welsh pinc (“finch”), Ancient Greek σπίγγος (spíngos, “chaffinch”), Russian пе́нка (pénka, “wren”), Sanskrit फिङ्गक (phiṅgaka, “drongo, shrike”).

1. Any Eurasian goldfinch (of species Carduelis carduelis, syn. Fringilla carduelis).
2. Any bird of the family Fringillidae, seed-eating passerine birds, native chiefly to the Northern Hemisphere and usually having a conical beak.
3. Any bird of other families of similar appearance to members of family Fringillidae.
4. A woman.

   “"Well, she could have put it across me for that matter if Dodger, who'd seen her up there, didn't happen to call round to do with the business," admitted George simply. "All these finches seem to get themselves up in the same way nowadays, till I can't tell one sort of tart from another. But I suppose there's something you go by."”

verb

Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *(s)ping- Proto-Germanic *finkiz Proto-Indo-European *(s)ping- Proto-Germanic *finkô Old English finċ Middle English fynch English finch From Middle English fynch, from Old English finċ, from Proto-West Germanic *finki, from Proto-Germanic *finkiz (compare Dutch vink, German Fink), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)pingos (“chaffinch”). Compare Welsh pinc (“finch”), Ancient Greek σπίγγος (spíngos, “chaffinch”), Russian пе́нка (pénka, “wren”), Sanskrit फिङ्गक (phiṅgaka, “drongo, shrike”).

1. To hunt for finches, to go finching.