antingn.
The action of birds in rubbing on their plumage ants or other insects that secrete acrid juices; also, a similar action of birds with various other objects (see quot. 1959 for ant vb. at Derivatives).
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the world > animals > birds > actions or bird defined by > [noun] > cleaning
anting1936
1936 Jrnl. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 38 631 Dr. Stresemann suggests the use of a special term for this ‘rubbing in’ process..which may be translated into English..as ‘anting’,—e.g. a bird ants itself or its feathers, even when objects other than ants..are used in the process.
1944 Ibis July 404 Some birds..practise ‘anting’ more or less consistently, while others of related species do not ‘ant’ at all.
Derivatives
ant v. [as a back-formation] (trans. and intr.) to act in this way.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > birds > actions or bird defined by > [verb (intransitive)] > clean
gravel1870
ant1944
the world > animals > birds > actions or bird defined by > [verb (transitive)] > clean
ant1944
1944 [see main sense].
1959 Observer 1 Mar. 19/4 Starlings and rooks will ‘ant’, without ants, on smoking chimney-pots. Tame birds will ant with matches or cigarette ends.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1972; most recently modified version published online November 2010).
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n.1936