Ruddy \Rud"dy\, a. [Compar. Ruddier; superl. Ruddiest.] [AS. rudig. See Rud, n.] 1. Of a red color; red, or reddish; as, a ruddy sky; a ruddy flame. --Milton. They were more ruddy in body than rubies. --Lam. iv. 7. 2. Of a lively flesh color, or the color of the human skin in high health; as, ruddy cheeks or lips. --Dryden. Ruddy duck (Zo["o]l.), an American duck ({Erismatura rubida}) having a broad bill and a wedge-shaped tail composed of stiff, sharp feathers. The adult male is rich brownish red on the back, sides, and neck, black on the top of the head, nape, wings, and tail, and white on the cheeks. The female and young male are dull brown mixed with blackish on the back; grayish below. Called also dunbird, dundiver, ruddy diver, stifftail, spinetail, hardhead, sleepy duck, fool duck, spoonbill, etc. Ruddy plover (Zo["o]l.) the sanderling.

Spinetail \Spine"tail`\, n. (Zo["o]l.) (a) Any one or several species of swifts of the genus Acanthylis, or Ch[ae]tura, and allied genera, in which the shafts of the tail feathers terminate in rigid spines. (b) Any one of several species of South American and Central American clamatorial birds belonging to Synallaxis and allied genera of the family Dendrocolaptid[ae]. They are allied to the ovenbirds. (c) The ruddy duck. [Local, U.S.]

look up a word or phrase