scaldy
/ˈskɔːldi
/(also scaldie) Irish
noun (plural scaldies)
A young bird that has just fledged: the magpie sometimes raids nests for eggs and scaldies...
- We had been careful to leave the garage door open that spring, making sure not to disturb the mother and her wee scaldies.
- I was horrified to see a magpie emerge with a scaldie in its beak, holding it by its legs.
- The farmer is playing nursemaid to a cheeky grey wagtail and her family of four scaldies.
adjective
(Of a person) small, thin, and having very short or thin hair: the child is a scaldy little thing...
- One man, looking at the scaldy appearance of the cock, said "Sure he's not worth botherin' about."
- There's a scaldy looking woman inspecting the car.
- It might stop him looking scaldy whenever a camera is pointed at him.
Origin
Early 20th century: from obsolete or dialect scalled, scald and Scots scad 'scabby'; probably ultimately from Old Norse skalle 'bald head'.