auk
auk
Definition
auk (ôk)
noun
any of a number of related diving alcidine shorebirds of northern seas, with a heavy body, webbed feet, a short tail, and short wings used as paddles
Etymology: dial. alk < ON alka < IE base *el-, *ol-, echoic of water-bird cry > L olor, swan
auk
Usage Examples
Converse of object
- nest: Behind the station, the mountains are home to thousands of pairs of nesting Little Auks.
- see: We see the auk about to be clubbed to death on Hirta in the year 1840.
- produce: Sea-watching produced a few large Auks, a Sooty Shearwater, a blue phase Fulmar and a few Kittiwakes.
Adjective modifier
- little: Behind the station, the mountains are home to thousands of pairs of nesting Little Auks.
- great: The last indisputable great auk to be taken from St Kilda was in 1821.
- few: The crossing was a bit lively at first and it was very difficult to see any birds, however a few auks went past.
- last: The last indisputable great auk to be taken from St Kilda was in 1821.
- other: Perhaps a slower growth rate and later fledging compared to other auks may benefit Puffin chicks.
Modifies a noun
- colony: In calm weather at dusk, the young Guillemots in the auk colony at the Bill fledged and left the breeding ledges.
- family: Unlike the other native members of the auk family, they do not form colonies, preferring an independent lifestlye.
- number: Gulls were still abundant off the Bill, but auk numbers had dropped to near-normal levels.
- specie: However, Puffins are far less commonly encountered in the winter than other auk species.
- egg: It was gull and auk eggs that were harvested and to imply that this included waders is dishonest.
Browse dictionary entries near auk
- AUI
- Augustus
- augustness
- augustly
- Augustinism
- Augustinianism
- Augustinian
- Augustine
- Augustan
- Augusta
- auklet
- auld
- auld lang syne
- aunt
- Aunt Millie
- Aunt Sallies
- Aunt Sally
- Aunt Sallys
- auntie
- aunties
