Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A person who fusses over others in an overprotective manner.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun literally A female
chicken who bearseggs orchicks . - noun idiomatic An
outspoken andoverprotective woman dealing with others' affairs.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun a person who cares for the needs of others (especially in an overprotective or interfering way)
- noun a hen with chicks
Etymologies
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Examples
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oroboros commented on the word mother hen
A mother hen told her little chickees,
"Having a lot to do won't insure that you'll do a lot."
And one of the brood asked, "But by the time we die, and go to see the Big Rooster In The Sky, won't we have done just as much as was necessary for us to do?" "Yes," she replied, "But no need to think like that now and spoil the rest of your life."
(From such humble beginnings do such major traditions as "The Great Rhode Island Red Religion" arise.)
--Jan Cox
August 19, 2007