big-bird
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
TO GET THE, i.e., to be hissed, as actors occasionally are by the "gods." BIG-BIRD is simply a metaphor for goose.—Theat. Slang.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “big-bird” mean?
TO GET THE, i.e., to be hissed, as actors occasionally are by the "gods." BIG-BIRD is simply a metaphor for goose.—Theat. Slang.
Is “big-bird” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.