Birdlime
/ˈbɜːdˌlaɪm/noun
A sticky substance once used to trap birds.
Did you know?Birdlime was so effective that it became a metaphor for anything that ensnares or entangles, turning a hunting tool into a symbol of irresistible capture.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
bridlim
“A sticky substance used for catching birds”
Middle English
ME
birdlime
“Viscous glue spread on branches to trap birds”
Modern English
English
birdlime
“A sticky trapping substance for birds; figuratively, anything that ensnares”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*leip-
“To stick, adhere”