Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The hedge-sparrow, Accentor modularis. Also dick-dunnock.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Zoöl.), Local, Eng. The hedge sparrow or hedge accentor.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun a small European and Asian passerine bird, Prunella modularis, the hedge sparrow

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun small brownish European songbird

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

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Examples

  • It is known to have mild effects on a wide range of British birds such as the dunnock, house sparrow, starling and the wood pigeon.

    UK garden birds hit by avian pox virus 2011

  • The coldest December on record had driven them to warmer climes, and during the day I managed to miss goldfinch, greenfinch, dunnock and song thrush as well.

    Birdwatch: Black redstart 2011

  • Not so its near orthographic neighbour the dunnock, which may not be too well, numbers-wise, but is still with us.

    Corrections and clarifications 2011

  • It moved with the jerky progress of a mouse, a lovely bird full of bright character, like a runt dunnock, severely streaked but with a cocked tail and a beady eye, and just four inches long.

    A Year on the Wing TIM DEE 2009

  • The local robins have been singing to guard their territories all winter, of course, but over the last couple of days I've heard them joined by blackbirds, great tits, chaffinches, skylarks and a small brown stripey bird that I think was a dunnock, all proclaiming, "This is my bit, come and set up home with me!"

    Signs of spring Carla 2008

  • The local robins have been singing to guard their territories all winter, of course, but over the last couple of days I've heard them joined by blackbirds, great tits, chaffinches, skylarks and a small brown stripey bird that I think was a dunnock, all proclaiming, "This is my bit, come and set up home with me!"

    Archive 2008-02-01 Carla 2008

  • And Hareton has been cast out like an unfledged dunnock!

    Wuthering Heights 2002

  • And Hareton has been cast out like an unfledged dunnock!

    Wuthering Heights 1847

  • And Hareton has been cast out like an unfledged dunnock!

    Wuthering Heights Emily Bront�� 1833

  • Can your children identify the rambling ditty of a dunnock?

    Telegraph.co.uk - Telegraph online, Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph 2011

Comments

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  • "As we strolled alongside the Marshes, the reservoir embankments, he pointed out grey wagtail, dunnock."

    London Orbital by Iain Sinclair, p 57 of the Penguin paperback edition

    January 26, 2012