chicken

Universal Words noun, verb, adjective noun 1 [C] a large bird that is often kept for its eggs or meat: They keep chickens in the back yard. * free-range chickens compareCOCK, HEN 2 [U] meat from a chicken: fried / roast chicken * chicken stock / soup * chicken breasts / livers / thighs * chicken and chips seealsoSPRINGCHICKEN IDIOMS a chicken-and-egg situation, problem, etc. a situation in which it is difficult to tell which one of two things was the cause of the other moreatCOUNTv., HEADLESS, HOMEadv. verb PHRASALVERBS chicken out (of sth / of doing sth) (informal) to decide not to do sth because you are afraid: You're not going to chicken out, are you? * Kim put my name down for a sponsored parachute jump but I chickened out at the last moment. adjective [notbeforenoun] (informal) not brave; afraid to do sth SYNCOWARDLY