Background for canary

canary

/kəˈnɛəɹi/

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noun

A small, usually yellow, finch (genus Serinus), a songbird native to the Canary Islands.

Examples :

"The canary chirped happily in its cage. "

animal bird nature biology

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noun

Any of various small birds of different countries, most of which are largely yellow in colour.

Examples :

"The canary chirped happily in its cage. "

bird animal nature

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noun

A light, slightly greenish, yellow colour.

Examples :

"The canary yellow paint brightened the classroom. "

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noun

A light, sweet, white wine from the Canary Islands.

Examples :

"My aunt brought a bottle of canary to share at the family dinner. "

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noun

A lively dance, possibly of Spanish origin (also called canaries).

Examples :

"The historical dance troupe included a lively canary in their performance, showcasing its energetic steps and Spanish flair. "

dance music entertainment culture

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noun

Any test subject, especially an inadvertent or unwilling one. (From the mining practice of using canaries to detect dangerous gases.)

Examples :

""My younger brother always eats the new food first; he's like the family's canary for dinner – if he doesn't get sick, then it's safe for everyone else." "

animal environment work industry science

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noun

A value placed in memory such that it will be the first data corrupted by a buffer overflow, allowing the program to identify and recover from it.

Examples :

"The programmer placed a "canary" value after the customer's address in the computer's memory; if the address became too long and overwrote the canary, the program would know there was a problem and stop to prevent further damage. "

computing technology

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noun

A female singer, soprano, a coloratura singer.

Examples :

"The opera house boasted a powerful canary whose high notes thrilled the audience. "

music person entertainment

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noun

An informer or snitch; a squealer.

Examples :

""Maria knew who had stolen the money from the office, but she refused to be a canary and tell the boss." "

person police communication job

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noun

A (usually yellow) capsule of the short-acting barbiturate pentobarbital/pentobarbitone (Nembutal).

Examples :

"The doctor prescribed a "canary" to help him sleep after his surgery. "

medicine substance

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noun

A yellow sticker of unroadworthiness.

Examples :

"The car's inspection sticker was a canary, meaning it wasn't roadworthy. "

vehicle sign law

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verb

To dance nimbly (as in the canary dance)

Examples :

"The young girl could canary across the dance floor, her steps light and quick. "

dance entertainment

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verb

To inform or snitch, to betray secrets, especially about illegal activities.

Examples :

"The student was warned not to canary on anyone about the upcoming test. "

police law communication action

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adjective

Of a light yellow colour.

Examples :

"The baby's room was painted a cheerful canary yellow. "