War·bler n.
 1. One who, or that which, warbles; a singer; a songster; -- applied chiefly to birds.
    In lulling strains the feathered warblers woo.   --Tickell.
 2. Zool. Any one of numerous species of small Old World singing birds belonging to the family Sylviidae, many of which are noted songsters. The bluethroat, blackcap, reed warbler (see under Reed), and sedge warbler (see under Sedge) are well-known species.
 3. Zool. Any one of numerous species of small, often bright colored, American singing birds of the family or subfamily Mniotiltidae, or Sylvicolinae. They are allied to the Old World warblers, but most of them are not particularly musical.
 Note: ☞ The American warblers are often divided, according to their habits, into bush warblers, creeping warblers, fly-catching warblers, ground warblers, wood warblers, wormeating warblers, etc.
 Bush warbler Zool. any American warbler of the genus Opornis, as the Connecticut warbler (Opornis agilis).
 Creeping warbler Zool., any one of several species of very small American warblers belonging to Parula, Mniotilta, and allied genera, as the blue yellow-backed warbler (Parula Americana), and the black-and-white creeper (Mniotilta varia).
 Fly-catching warbler Zool., any one of several species of warblers belonging to Setophaga, Sylvania, and allied genera having the bill hooked and notched at the tip, with strong rictal bristles at the base, as the hooded warbler (Sylvania mitrata), the black-capped warbler (Sylvania pusilla), the Canadian warbler (Sylvania Canadensis), and the American redstart (see Redstart).
 Ground warbler Zool., any American warbler of the genus Geothlypis, as the mourning ground warbler (Geothlypis Philadelphia), and the Maryland yellowthroat (see Yellowthroat).
 Wood warbler Zool., any one of numerous American warblers of the genus Dendroica. Among the most common wood warblers in the Eastern States are the yellowbird, or yellow warbler (see under Yellow), the black-throated green warbler (Dendroica virens), the yellow-rumped warbler (Dendroica coronata), the blackpoll (Dendroica striata), the bay-breasted warbler (Dendroica castanea), the chestnut-sided warbler (Dendroica Pennsylvanica), the Cape May warbler (Dendroica tigrina), the prairie warbler (see under Prairie), and the pine warbler (Dendroica pinus).  See also Magnolia warbler, under Magnolia, and Blackburnian warbler.

 ◄ ►


 Creep·er n.
 1. One who, or that which, creeps; any creeping thing.
    Standing waters are most unwholesome, . . . full of mites, creepers; slimy, muddy, unclean.   --Burton.
 2. Bot. A plant that clings by rootlets, or by tendrils, to the ground, or to trees, etc.; as, the Virginia creeper (Ampelopsis quinquefolia).
 3. Zool. A small bird of the genus Certhia, allied to the wrens. The brown or common European creeper is Certhia familiaris, a variety of which (var. Americana) inhabits America; -- called also tree creeper and creeptree.  The American black and white creeper is Mniotilta varia.
 4. A kind of patten mounted on short pieces of iron instead of rings; also, a fixture with iron points worn on a shoe to prevent one from slipping.
 5. pl. A spurlike device strapped to the boot, which enables one to climb a tree or pole; -- called often telegraph creepers.
 6. A small, low iron, or dog, between the andirons.
 7. pl. An instrument with iron hooks or claws for dragging at the bottom of a well, or any other body of water, and bringing up what may lie there.
 8. Any device for causing material to move steadily from one part of a machine to another, as an apron in a carding machine, or an inner spiral in a grain screen.
 9. pl. Arch. Crockets. See Crocket.

 ◄ ►