chicken
[ chik-uh n ]
/ ˈtʃɪk ən /
noun
adjective
(of food) containing, made from, or having the flavor of chicken: chicken salad; chicken soup.
Slang.
- cowardly.
- petty or trivial: a chicken regulation.
- obsessed with petty details, regulations, etc.: He's quitting this chicken outfit to become his own boss.
Verb Phrases
chicken out, Slang.
- to refrain from doing something because of fear or cowardice: I chickened out when I saw how deep the water was.
- to renege or withdraw: You can't chicken out of this business deal now.
Idioms for chicken
count one's chickens before they are hatched,
to rely on a benefit that is still uncertain: They were already spending in anticipation of their inheritance, counting their chickens before they were hatched.
Origin of chicken
before 950; 1605–15
for def 4a; 1940–45
for def 6; Middle English
chiken, Old English
cīcen; akin to Middle Dutch
kieken (Dutch
kuiken), Low German
küken
Words nearby chicken
Example sentences from the Web for chicken
British Dictionary definitions for chicken
chicken
/ (ˈtʃɪkɪn) /
noun
adjective
slang
easily scared; cowardly; timid
Word Origin for chicken
Old English
ciecen; related to Old Norse
kjūklingr gosling, Middle Low German
küken chicken
Idioms and Phrases with chicken
chicken