bird-dog

1 of 2

verb

bird-dogged; bird-dogging; bird-dogs

intransitive verb

: to watch closely

transitive verb

: to seek out : follow, detect

bird dog

2 of 2

noun

1
: a gundog trained to hunt or retrieve birds
2
a
: one (such as a canvasser or talent scout) who seeks out something for another
b
: one who steals another's date

Examples of bird-dog in a Sentence

Verb suspecting infidelity, he hired a private detective to bird-dog his wife

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1943, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bird-dog was in 1837

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near bird-dog

Cite this Entry

“Bird-dog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bird-dog. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

bird dog

noun
: a dog that has been trained to hunt or bring back game birds
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