bird dog

See also: bird-dog and birddog

English

Alternative forms

• bird-dog, birddog

Etymology

Compound of bird +‎ dog.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɜːd dɒɡ/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Noun

bird dog (plural bird dogs)

1. A gun dog used in hunting waterfowl and other birds to flush, point out, and/or retrieve the birds.

   Hypernyms: gun dog, < hunting dog, < dog, hound

   Hyponyms: setter, pointer, retriever

2. A tout.
3. A person who seeks out real estate investment opportunities in exchange for a fee.
4. (CB slang) A radar detector (for detecting police speed traps).
   • 1986, Steve Earle, Guitar Town:

     I'm just out of Austin bound for San Antone
     With the radio blastin' and the bird dog on

5. A hyperextension exercise performed lying on the knees, with one arm and the opposite leg lifted.
6. A person who tries to steal someone else's romantic partner
   • 1958, Everly Brothers, Bird Dog:

     Johnny is the joker that's been tryin' to steal my baby
     He's a bird dog

Translations

gun dog — see gun dog

tout — see tout

Verb

bird dog (third-person singular simple present bird dogs, present participle bird dogging, simple past and past participle bird dogged)

1. (intransitive) To watch closely.
2. (transitive) To seek out.
3. (aviation, military, slang) A multiservice tactical brevity code requesting configuration of sensors.