A sticky, viscous substance smeared on branches or twigs to trap birds; historically used in bird-catching and poaching.
Compound of 'bird' (Old English 'brid') and 'lime' (from Old English 'lím' meaning a sticky substance). Used since medieval times for hunting, the word appears in English literature and hunting manuals from the 13th century onward.
Birdlime was so notorious for cruelty that Shakespeare referenced it in plays—today it's largely illegal in most countries, representing how language captures outdated and now-condemned practices in humanity's relationship with animals.
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