From WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003) [wn]:
fowl
n 1: a domesticated gallinaceous bird though to be descended from
the red jungle fowl [syn: domestic fowl, poultry]
2: the flesh of a bird or fowl (wild or domestic) used as food
[syn: bird]
v 1: hunt fowl
2: hunt fowl in the forest
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Fowl \Fowl\ (foul), n.
Note: Instead of the pl. Fowls the singular is often used
collectively. [OE. foul, fowel, foghel, fuhel, fugel,
AS. fugol; akin to OS. fugal D. & G. vogel, OHG. fogal,
Icel. & Dan. fugl, Sw. fogel, f[*a]gel, Goth. fugls; of
unknown origin, possibly by loss of l, from the root of
E. fly, or akin to E. fox, as being a tailed animal.]
1. Any bird; esp., any large edible bird.
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Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and
over the fowl of the air. --Gen. i. 26.
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Behold the fowls of the air; for they sow not.
--Matt. vi.
26.
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Like a flight of fowl
Scattered by winds and high tempestuous gusts.
--Shak.
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2. Any domesticated bird used as food, as a hen, turkey,
duck; in a more restricted sense, the common domestic cock
or hen (Gallus domesticus).
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Barndoor fowl, or Barnyard fowl, a fowl that frequents
the barnyard; the common domestic cock or hen.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Fowl \Fowl\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Fowled; p. pr. & vb. n.
Fowling.]
To catch or kill wild fowl, for game or food, as by shooting,
or by decoys, nets, etc.
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Such persons as may lawfully hunt, fish, or fowl.
--Blackstone.
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Fowling piece, a light gun with smooth bore, adapted for
the use of small shot in killing birds or small
quadrupeds.
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