▪ I. bird-lime, n.
(ˈbɜːdlaɪm)
[f. as prec. + lime n.]
1. a. A glutinous substance spread upon twigs, by which birds may be caught and held fast.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 50 Brydelyme, viscus. 1578 Lyte Dodoens 701 With the barkes of Holme they make Bird⁓lyme. 1697 Phil. Trans. XIX. 368 It would draw out into long tough strings, like Bird-lime. 1863 Thornbury True as Steel II. 152 Love..is like birdlime; the more we struggle, the more entangled our wings get. |
b. fig. and transf. Also attrib.
| 1562 A. Scott N. Yere Gift, Kirk-mennis cursit substance semis sweet Till land-men, with that leud burd-lyme are knyttit. 1626 T. H. tr. Caussin's Holy Crt. 86 O what a strong birdlyme is a benefit! All generous birdes are taken with it. 1705 Vanbrugh Confeder. v. 2 That birdlime there stole it. Ibid. iii. ii, My rogue of a Son has laid his birdlime fingers on it. |
2. Rhyming slang. Time; often spec. a term of imprisonment (cf. time n. 7 b (d)).
| 1857 ‘Ducange Anglicus’ Vulgar Tongue 2 Bird-lime, time. 1961 John o' London's 16 Nov. 551/2 Time is bird lime, but this is shortened to bird and..imprisonment is often called bird. 1962 Radio Times 20 Sept. 35 In the past Charley's done his ‘birdlime’ but he was given time off for good behaviour. |
▪ II. ˈbird-lime, v.
[f. prec. n.]
trans. To smear or catch with (or as with) bird-lime. Hence bird-limed ppl. a.
| 1580 Hollyband Treas. Fr. Tong, Englué, birdlimed. 1618 B. Holyday Juvenal vi. 100 It bird-limes her poor husbands lips. 1791 Wolcott (P. Pindar) Rights of Kings Wks. 1812 II. 427 Some..bird-limed Fly. 1802 Southey Lett. (1856) I. 195 If..any very desirable house were vacant..that would perhaps birdlime me. |