What does "owl" mean?
Owl: (Zoöl.) A variety of the domestic pigeon. Owl monkey (Zoöl.), any one of several species of South American nocturnal monkeys of the genus Nyctipithecus. They have very large eyes. Called also durukuli. -- Owl moth ( (Zoöl.), a very large moth (Erebus strix). The expanse of its wings is over ten inches. -- Owl parrot (Zoöl.), the kakapo. -- Sea owl (Zoöl.), the lumpfish. -- Owl train, a cant name for certain railway trains whose run is in the nighttime.
Additional senses
- 2.To pry about; to prowl. [Prov. Eng.]
- 3.To carry wool or sheep out of England. [Obs.] Note: This was formerly illegal, and was done chiefly by night.
- 4.Hence, to carry on any contraband trade. [Eng.]
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00