yardbird

yardbird

1. slang A chicken. Primarily heard in US. Uncle Tom has a yardbird in the smoker, if you want to come round and join us for supper later.
2. dated slang An inexperienced or untrained soldier, especially one who is assigned menial tasks, such as cleaning. Primarily heard in US. They always give the worst jobs to us yardbirds.
3. dated slang Someone who is lacking formal training or education in some field, profession, or activity. Primarily heard in US. I somehow landed a job teaching at a local community college. But I always felt like a bit of a yardbird there compared to the men and women with fancy degrees.
4. dated slang A hobo. Primarily heard in US. Last I heard from him, he was riding boxcars around the Pacific Northwest with some yardbirds.
5. dated slang A convict or prisoner. Primarily heard in US. Keep an eye on that one, Steve. He always acts suspicious when he's out with the other yardbirds. Makes me think that he's up to something.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

yardbird

1. n. a convict. Who’s the yardbird with the headphones on his noodle?
2. n. an inept soldier. (Military.) How many of you yardbirds would like to go home in one piece?
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • be on the danger list
  • be on/off the danger list
  • be off the danger list
  • elope
  • elope to Gretna Green
  • uncle
  • Uncle!
  • bedsheets
  • cried all the way to the bank, he/she
  • (as) crazy as a bedbug
References in periodicals archive
It was just 40 years ago in 1963 that McCarty and his fellow Yardbirds got together in Richmond - initially as the Metropolitan Blues Quartet - and played local dates before replacing The Rolling Stones at London's Studio 51.
Blues boys from the deep south - of England that is
Yardbird also makes its own doughnuts and is showcasing a cocktail menu that will feature house "hard shakes" - blends of specialist liquors and traditional milk shake ingredients.
BANKSY SITE IN SHAKE-UP
"It was a choice of coming here or going to Limerick with Charlie Yardbird and it's a case of the more rain, the better.
Horse Racing: Santa's will make them all go - O'Shea; 2.35 LEXUS CHASE 1.30 Leopardstown
Charlie Yardbird is a nice horse and jumping will be his game."
Horse Racing: Meade continues domination of fixture with treble; WEXFORD
HRH of The Dirty Old Folkers, who |play at The Yardbird on Sunday
Colourful line-up at the Yardbird; Jazz Notes
Clearly jazz needs a summer holiday, because the live gigs start to dry up over the next few weeks, though nobody seems to have told trumpeter Ray Butcher about the vacation concept, so he continues to fill The Yardbird's Thursday evening jazz slot for the next few weeks, with a particularly special player on the compact stage this evening.
Jazz Diary
They will be appearing on Thursday at The Yardbird Jazz Club in Birmingham and it has been operating a committed live policy since it opened in 2007.
Straight man Mike set for national acclaim; Jazz
Stablemate Yardbird reverts to novice company - after wins in handicap chases at Wincanton and Newbury - in the April Novices' Chase, taking on Napolitain and Unleash, who has not run since his third behind Darkness and Iris's Gift in a Grade 2 event at Newbury in November.
Horse Racing: Penzance has course form on his side
He entertained a large crowd at The Yardbird with his biggest hit to date, Elusive.
Ayckbourn's shock tactics; REVIEWS Haunting Julia GRAND THEATRE, WOLVERHAMPTON
More at bearwoodjazz.co.uk In the city centre, drummer Miles Levin leads his band at the Yardbird, in Paradise Place.
Jazz Diary
The quintet's line-up at Birmingham's Yardbird on Thursday will also feature trumpeter Gethin Liddington, pianist Paul Jones, bassman Chris O'Connor and drumming brother Mark O'Connor.
Welsh fire breather oozing invention; Jazz
Paddy Brennan reached a seasonal 50 with the first leg of a treble on Pseudonym in the juvenile handicap hurdle, which was followed up by Yardbird in the handicap chase and later by Midas Way in the novice hurdle.
Horse Racing: Harringay leaves last year's controversy behind after tongue-tie helps mare land Final prize; NEWBURY
Music fans packed into seven city centre venues to see and hear performances by emerging talent as well as established headline artists including Ivor Novello award-winning singersongwriter Scott Matthews at The Yardbird and a set by urban wordsmith Polarbear at The Sunflower Lounge.
Popular music festival raises PS10k for charity
You can book tickets already, although, apart from the fact that comperes will be Gilles Petersen and Craig Charles, and Birmingham Jazz and the Yardbird will have a hand in programming a stage for part of the festival, you won't know who's appearing.
Great music for hard times; Jazz Diary
The afternoon did not start well for the Alan King--Robert Thornton combination with 1-3 chance Senorita Rumbalita failing to deliver, but they soon put matters right with victories for Pretty Star and Yardbird.
Wincanton: Brennan returns on winning note