fowling

[ fou-ling ]

noun

1. the practice or sport of shooting or snaring birds.

ˈfowling

/ ˈfaʊlɪŋ /

noun

1. the shooting or trapping of birds for sport or as a livelihood

Derived Forms

• ˈfowler, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of fowling¹

First recorded in 1350–1400, fowling is from the late Middle English word foulynge. See fowl, -ing ¹

Example Sentences

“During the founding era, Americans typically owned muskets for militia service and fowling pieces to hunt birds and control vermin,” the brief said.

From New York Times

In the area around Cambridge, wealthy landowners hired a Dutch engineer to drain the marshland for arable farmland, arousing violent resistance from locals who had depended on the wetlands for fishing, fowling and hunting.

From New York Times

Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, so that we might after a special manner rejoice together .

From Wall Street Journal

Guests will also be able to prime and fire replicas of two early American firearms: a “Brown Bess” British short land service pattern musket and a fowling piece, a precursor of the modern shotgun.

From Washington Times

He drilled with an old fowling piece his grandsire had given him to shoot ducks on the Concord River.

From Literature

Related Words

• angling
• fishery
• fishing
• shooting