| 释义 |
chiff-chaff|ˈtʃɪftʃɑːf, -æ-|
Also 8 chiff-chaf, chif-chaf.
[Expressive of its note.]
1. A bird, also called Lesser Pettychaps (Phylloscopus rufus), of the family Sylviinæ or Warblers, closely akin to the Willow Wren or Willow Warbler, with which it is often confounded in dialectal nomenclature.
c1780G. White Observ. (1876) I. 409 The smallest uncrested willow wren, or chiff-chaf..utters two sharp piercing notes. 1792― Lett. xi. To Marsham, The smallest willow-wren..called here the Chif-Chaf from its two loud sharp notes, is always the first spring bird of passage. 1860Tristram Gt. Sahara vi. 100 Here are the winter-quarters of many of our familiar English birds: the chiffchaff, willow-wren, and white throat hop on every twig in the gardens.
2. The note of the chiff-chaff, or sounds resembling this.
1908Westm. Gaz. 21 Mar. 14/1 They..make their presence known by their cheery reiteration of ‘Chiff-chaff, chiff-chaff’. 1909Daily Chron. 31 May 4/4 The sounds (quite important barks and chiff-chaffs and gurgles and bubbles) that make the emphasis of conversation. 1916Westm. Gaz. 19 Mar. 14/2 His cheery, oft-repeated note, ‘Chiff-chaff, cheef, cheef, chaff’.
Hence ˈchiff-chaff v., to utter this bird's note.
1884J. Burroughs in Cent. Mag. Mar. 779/2 The little chiffchaff was chiffchaffing in the pine woods. |