shuttlecock
shuttlecock Lexical Profile
shuttlecock Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A lightweight, cone-shaped object made of a rounded piece of cork or rubber covered in feathers or plastic, used as the projectile in the sport of badminton.
"With a swift flick of her wrist, she sent the shuttlecock soaring over the net."
An early iteration of the game of badminton, historically known as battledore and shuttlecock.
"The children spent a leisurely afternoon playing a game of shuttlecock on the manor lawn."
• verb
To send, bandy, or toss something back and forth in the manner of a shuttlecock being hit across a net.
"The contentious budget proposal was shuttlecocked between the two committees for several months."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Originated in the 1520s, forming a compound of 'shuttle' (referencing its back-and-forth motion akin to a weaver's shuttle) and 'cock' (referring to the traditional use of chicken feathers, resembling a bird in flight).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.