From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Sandpiper \Sand"pi`per\, n.
1. (Zool.) Any one of numerous species of small limicoline
game birds belonging to {Tringa}, {Actodromas},
{Ereunetes}, and various allied genera of the family
{Tringidae}.
[1913 Webster]
Note: The most important North American species are the
pectoral sandpiper ({Tringa maculata}), called also
{brownback}, {grass snipe}, and {jacksnipe}; the
red-backed, or black-breasted, sandpiper, or dunlin
({Tringa alpina}); the purple sandpiper ({Tringa
maritima}: the red-breasted sandpiper, or knot ({Tringa
canutus}); the semipalmated sandpiper ({Ereunetes
pusillus}); the spotted sandpiper, or teeter-tail
({Actitis macularia}); the buff-breasted sandpiper
({Tryngites subruficollis}), and the Bartramian
sandpiper, or upland plover. See under {Upland}. Among
the European species are the dunlin, the knot, the
ruff, the sanderling, and the common sandpiper
({Actitis hypoleucus} syn. {Tringoides hypoleucus}),
called also {fiddler}, {peeper}, {pleeps}, {weet-weet},
and {summer snipe}. Some of the small plovers and
tattlers are also called sandpipers.
[1913 Webster]
2. (Zool.) A small lamprey eel; the pride.
[1913 Webster]
{Curlew sandpiper}. See under {Curlew}.
{Stilt sandpiper}. See under {Stilt}.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Fiddler \Fid"dler\, n. [AS. fi[eth]elere.]
1. One who plays on a fiddle or violin.
[1913 Webster]
2. (Zool.) A burrowing crab of the genus {Gelasimus}, of many
species. The male has one claw very much enlarged, and
often holds it in a position similar to that in which a
musician holds a fiddle, hence the name; -- called also
{fiddler crab}, {calling crab}, {soldier crab}, and
{fighting crab}.
[1913 Webster]
3. (Zool.) The common European sandpiper ({Tringoides
hypoleucus}); -- so called because it continually
oscillates its body.
[1913 Webster]
{Fiddler crab}. (Zool.) See {Fiddler}, n., 2.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
fiddler
n 1: a musician who plays the violin [syn: {violinist},
{fiddler}]
2: someone who manipulates in a nervous or unconscious manner
[syn: {twiddler}, {fiddler}]
3: an unskilled person who tries to fix or mend [syn:
{tinkerer}, {fiddler}]
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