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scarecrow

 - 3 dictionary results

scare⋅crow

[skair-kroh]
–noun
1. an object, usually a figure of a person in old clothes, set up to frighten crows or other birds away from crops.
2. anything frightening but not really dangerous.
3. a person in ragged clothes.
4. an extremely thin person.

Origin:
1545–55; scare + crow 1


scarecrowish, scarecrowy, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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scare·crow   (skâr'krō')   
n.  
  1. A crude image or effigy of a person set up in a field to scare birds away from growing crops.

  2. Something frightening but not dangerous.

  3. A gaunt or haggard person.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Encyclopedia

scarecrow

device posted on cultivated ground to deter birds or other animals from eating or otherwise disturbing seeds, shoots, and fruit; its name derives from its use against the crow. The scarecrow of popular tradition is a mannequin stuffed with straw; free-hanging, often reflective parts movable by the wind are commonly attached to increase effectiveness. A scarecrow outfitted in clothes previously worn by a hunter who has fired on the flock is regarded by some as especially efficacious. A common variant is the effigy of a predator (e.g., an owl or a snake).

Learn more about scarecrow with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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