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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Pigeon \Pi"geon\, n. [F., fr. L. pipio a young pipping or
chirping bird, fr. pipire to peep, chirp. Cf. {Peep} to
chirp.]
1. (Zool.) Any bird of the order Columb[ae], of which
numerous species occur in nearly all parts of the world.
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Note: The common domestic pigeon, or dove, was derived from
the Old World rock pigeon or rock dove ({Columba
livia}), common in cities. It has given rise to
numerous very remarkable varieties, such as the
carrier, fantail, nun, pouter, tumbler, etc. The common
wild pigeon of the Eastern United States is the
{Mourning dove} ({Zenaida macroura}, called also
{Carolina dove}). Before the 19th century, the most
common pigeon was the passenger pigeon, but that
species is now extinct. See {Passenger pigeon}, and
{Carolina dove} under {Dove}. See, also, {Fruit
pigeon}, {Ground pigeon}, {Queen pigeon}, {Stock
pigeon}, under {Fruit}, {Ground}, etc.
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2. An unsuspected victim of sharpers; a gull. [Slang]
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{Blue pigeon} (Zool.), an Australian passerine bird
({Graucalus melanops}); -- called also {black-faced crow}.


{Green pigeon} (Zool.), any one of numerous species of Old
World pigeons belonging to the family {Treronid[ae]}.

{Imperial pigeon} (Zool.), any one of the large Asiatic fruit
pigeons of the genus {Carpophada}.

{Pigeon berry} (Bot.), the purplish black fruit of the
pokeweed; also, the plant itself. See {Pokeweed}.

{Pigeon English} [perhaps a corruption of business English],
an extraordinary and grotesque dialect, employed in the
commercial cities of China, as the medium of communication
between foreign merchants and the Chinese. Its base is
English, with a mixture of Portuguese and Hindustani.
--Johnson's Cyc.

{Pigeon grass} (Bot.), a kind of foxtail grass ({Setaria
glauca}), of some value as fodder. The seeds are eagerly
eaten by pigeons and other birds.

{Pigeon hawk}. (Zool.)
(a) A small American falcon ({Falco columbarius}). The
adult male is dark slate-blue above, streaked with
black on the back; beneath, whitish or buff, streaked
with brown. The tail is banded.
(b) The American sharp-shinned hawk ({Accipiter velox} or
{Accipiter fuscus}).

{Pigeon hole}.
(a) A hole for pigeons to enter a pigeon house.
(b) See {Pigeonhole}.
(c) pl. An old English game, in which balls were rolled
through little arches. --Halliwell.

{Pigeon house}, a dovecote.

{Pigeon pea} (Bot.), the seed of {Cajanus Indicus}; a kind of
pulse used for food in the East and West Indies; also, the
plant itself.

{Pigeon plum} (Bot.), the edible drupes of two West African
species of {Chrysobalanus} ({Chrysobalanus ellipticus} and
{Chrysobalanus luteus}).

{Pigeon tremex}. (Zool.) See under {Tremex}.

{Pigeon wood} (Bot.), a name in the West Indies for the wood
of several very different kinds of trees, species of
{Dipholis}, {Diospyros}, and {Coccoloba}.

{Pigeon woodpecker} (Zool.), the flicker.

{Prairie pigeon}. (Zool.)
(a) The upland plover.
(b) The golden plover. [Local, U.S.]
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Pigeon \Pi"geon\, v. t.
To pluck; to fleece; to swindle by tricks in gambling.
[Slang] --Smart.
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He's pigeoned and undone. --Observer.
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