magpie
noun
- large bird in the crow family
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈmæɡˌpaɪ/
noun
Etymology: From Mag, a nickname for Margaret that was used to denote a chatterer, + archaic pie (“magpie”), from Middle English pie, pye, from Old French pie, from Latin pīca, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)peyk- (“woodpecker, magpie”). Displaced native Old English agu (“magpie”) and Middle English aguster (“magpie”), whence English haggister.
- One of several kinds of bird in the family Corvidae, especially Pica pica.
- A superficially similar Australian bird, Gymnorhina tibicen, in the family Artamidae.
- Someone who displays a magpie-like quality such as hoarding or stealing objects.
“Not only is Mr. Booker a voracious magpie (who does not always acknowledge the sources of his ideas), but he also turns out to be an annoyingly biased and didactic one.”
- A fan or member of Newcastle United F.C.
- In the sport of fullbore target rifle, the third circle on a target, between the inner and outer.
- A halfpenny.
- A pattern resembling the pied plumage of a magpie.
“Kitty and I were engaged. The next day I met those accursed “magpie” Jhampanies at the back of Jakko, and, moved by some passing sentiment of pity, stopped to tell Mrs. Wessington everything.”
“The worst part of my experience in this magpie livery was yet to come, for I was to appear in it the next day at church.”
verb
Etymology: From Mag, a nickname for Margaret that was used to denote a chatterer, + archaic pie (“magpie”), from Middle English pie, pye, from Old French pie, from Latin pīca, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)peyk- (“woodpecker, magpie”). Displaced native Old English agu (“magpie”) and Middle English aguster (“magpie”), whence English haggister.
- To mark with patches of black and white or light and dark.
“The little rail-enclosed plots that lay between the pavements and the hotels were magpied with torn paper […]”
“[…] she stood at the window and saw the lake blue with spring and a few patches of snow that magpied the hills.”
- To steal or hoard (items) as magpies are believed to do.
“[…] she liked to be able to have a picturesque fact or two with which to support herself when she too, to hold attention, wanted to issue moving statements as to revolutions, anarchies and strife in the offing. And she had noticed that when she magpied Tietjens’ conversations more serious men in responsible positions were apt to argue with her and to pay her more attention than before....”
““I had to borrow those photographs Aunt Nettie was storing in her closet.” “Isn’t that interesting?” May said. “I have to say, I never did understand why Mrs. Hatch asked me to magpie them out of the library.””
- To talk idly; to talk about other people's private business.
“He knew how people were magpieing with their malicious chatter that she had committed the cardinal sin of believing love was permanent […]”