See Also: curlew(dictionary)
curlew(encyclopedia)
curlew(dictionary)

curlew (iou)



curlew noun. ME.
[Old & mod. French courlieu var. of courlis, orig. imit. of the bird's cry, but prob. assim. to Old French courliu courier, messenger, from courre run + lieu place.]
Any bird of the genus Numenius, comprising waders with long slender down-curved bills; esp. one of the common European species N. arquata. Cf. stone curlew s.v. STONE noun, adjective, & adverb. ME.
Eskimo curlew: see ESKIMO adjective. HUDSONIAN curlew. Jack curlew: see JACK noun1. slender-billed curlew: see SLENDER adjective.
[translating Latin coturnix, Greek ortux.] In biblical translations and allusions: a quail. ME-E16.