canary seed

American  

noun

1. birdseed.

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canary seed British  

noun

1. another name for birdseed

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Etymology

Origin of canary seed

First recorded in 1590–1600

Example Sentences

He went shopping for canary seed and Polly, loose in the pet shop, settled on his shoulder and said, 'Pretty boy, I love you so.'

From Time Magazine Archive

The staple food should be canary seed mixed with rape, and there must always be a piece of cuttle-fish fastened in the cage.

From Harper's Young People, September 21, 1880 An Illustrated Weekly by Various

But I shall be a-practisin' my haitches, Sir," he promised me, as I went out with the canary seed which I had called to purchase—"practise 'em 'ard, I shall.

From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 156, January 29, 1919 by Various

Besides this, give them a little scalded rapeseed, and a little rape and canary seed by itself.

From The Cook and Housekeeper's Complete and Universal Dictionary; Including a System of Modern Cookery, in all Its Various Branches, Adapted to the Use of Private Families by Eaton, Mary, fl. 1823-1849

As Biddy often declared, "it was a great saving of canary seed, to have Miss Natalie about the house."

From Natalie A Gem Among the Sea-Weeds by Vale, Ferna