1 C1 idiomatic slang
(British vulgar slang) To make an obscene hand gesture at someone as an expression of contempt or anger.
"The frustrated driver birded off the car that had cut him up at the junction."
separable
bird off
C1 slang separable transitive
British slang: to make an obscene gesture at someone by raising the middle finger.
In plain English
To show someone the middle finger as a rude sign.
What does "bird off" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Usage tip
'The bird' in British English refers to an obscene gesture (the middle finger, or sometimes a two-fingered 'V' sign with the back of the hand forward). 'Bird off' as a phrasal verb is rare; more commonly you would say 'give someone the bird'. Vulgar and inappropriate in formal contexts.
Words that pair with "bird off"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
driver someone crowd camera
How to conjugate "bird off"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
bird off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
birds off
he/she/it
Past simple
birded off
yesterday
Past participle
birded off
have + pp
-ing form
birding off
continuous
Hear "bird off" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "bird off" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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