Stilt
Stilt , noun
[Old English stilte; akin to Danish stylte, Swedish stylta, LG. & Dutch stelt, Old High German stelza, German stelze, and perh. to English stout.]
1.
A pole, or piece of wood, constructed with a step or loop to raise the foot above the ground in walking. It is sometimes lashed to the leg, and sometimes prolonged upward so as to be steadied by the hand or arm.
Ambition is but avarice on stilts, and masked.
2.
A crutch; also, the handle of a plow. [Provincial English] — Halliwell
3.
(Zoology) Any species of limicoline birds belonging to Himantopus and allied genera, in which the legs are remarkably long and slender. Called also longshanks, stiltbird, stilt plover, and lawyer.
The American species (Himantopus Mexicanus) is well known. The European and Asiatic stilt (Himantopus candidus) is usually white, except the wings and interscapulars, which are greenish black. The white-headed stilt (Himantopus leucocephalus) and the banded stilt (Cladorhynchus pectoralis) are found in Australia.
Collocations (2)
Stilt plover (Zoology) , the stilt.
Stilt sandpiper (Zoology) , an American sandpiper (Micropalama himantopus) having long legs. The bill is somewhat expanded at the tip.
Stilt , transitive verb
To raise on stilts, or as if on stilts.