Rob·in n.  Zool. (a) A small European singing bird (Erythacus rubecula), having a reddish breast; -- called also robin redbreast, robinet, and ruddock. (b) An American singing bird (Merula migratoria), having the breast chestnut, or dull red. The upper parts are olive-gray, the head and tail blackish. Called also robin redbreast, and migratory thrush. (c) Any one of several species of Australian warblers of the genera Petroica, Melanadrays, and allied genera; as, the scarlet-breasted robin (Petroica mullticolor). (d) Any one of several Asiatic birds; as, the Indian robins. See Indian robin, below.
 Beach robin Zool., the robin snipe, or knot. See Knot.
 Blue-throated robin. Zool. See Bluethroat.
 Canada robin Zool., the cedar bird.
 Golden robin Zool., the Baltimore oriole.
 Ground robin Zool., the chewink.
 Indian robin Zool., any one of several species of Asiatic saxoline birds of the genera Thamnobia and Pratincola. They are mostly black, usually with some white on the wings.
 Magrie robin Zool., an Asiatic singing bird (Corsycus saularis), having the back, head, neck, and breast black glossed with blue, the wings black, and the belly white.
 Ragged robin. Bot. See under Ragged.
 Robin accentor Zool., a small Asiatic singing bird (Accentor rubeculoides), somewhat resembling the European robin.
 Robin redbreast. Zool. (a) The European robin. (b) The American robin. (c) The American bluebird.
 Robin snipe. Zool. (a) The red-breasted snipe, or dowitcher. (b) The red-breasted sandpiper, or knot.
 Robin's plantain. Bot. See under Plantain.
 Sea robin. Zool. (a) Any one of several species of American gurnards of the genus Prionotus. They are excellent food fishes. Called also wingfish. The name is also applied to a European gurnard. (b) The red-breasted merganser, or sheldrake. [Local, U.S.]
 Water robin Zool., a redstart (Ruticulla fuliginosa), native of India.

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 Bal·ti·more bird Bal·ti·more o·ri·ole Zool. A common bird (Icterus galbula) of eastern and central America and Canada, named after Lord Baltimore, because its colors (black and orange red) are like those of his coat of arms; -- called also golden robin.  It winters in the American tropics.

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 Gold·en a.
 1. Made of gold; consisting of gold.
 2. Having the color of gold; as, the golden grain.
 3. Very precious; highly valuable; excellent; eminently auspicious; as, golden opinions.
 Golden age. (a) The fabulous age of primeval simplicity and purity of manners in rural employments, followed by the silver age, bronze age, and iron age. --Dryden. (b) Roman Literature The best part (B. C. 81 -- A. D. 14) of the classical period of Latinity; the time when Cicero, Cæsar, Virgil, etc., wrote. Hence: (c) That period in the history of a literature, etc., when it flourishes in its greatest purity or attains its greatest glory; as, the Elizabethan age has been considered the golden age of English literature.
 Golden balls, three gilt balls used as a sign of a pawnbroker's office or shop; -- originally taken from the coat of arms of Lombardy, the first money lenders in London having been Lombards.
 Golden bull. See under Bull, an edict.
 Golden chain Bot., the shrub Cytisus Laburnum, so named from its long clusters of yellow blossoms.
 Golden club Bot., an aquatic plant (Orontium aquaticum), bearing a thick spike of minute yellow flowers.
 Golden cup Bot., the buttercup.
 Golden eagle Zool., a large and powerful eagle (Aquila Chrysaëtos) inhabiting Europe, Asia, and North America. It is so called from the brownish yellow tips of the feathers on the head and neck.  A dark variety is called the royal eagle; the young in the second year is the ring-tailed eagle.
 Golden fleece. (a) Mythol. The fleece of gold fabled to have been taken from the ram that bore Phryxus through the air to Colchis, and in quest of which Jason undertook the Argonautic expedition. (b) Her. An order of knighthood instituted in 1429 by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy; -- called also Toison d'Or.
 Golden grease, a bribe; a fee. [Slang]
 Golden hair Bot., a South African shrubby composite plant with golden yellow flowers, the Chrysocoma Coma-aurea.
 Golden Horde Hist., a tribe of Mongolian Tartars who overran and settled in Southern Russia early in the 18th century.
 Golden Legend, a hagiology (the “Aurea Legenda”) written by James de Voragine, Archbishop of Genoa, in the 13th century, translated and printed by Caxton in 1483, and partially paraphrased by Longfellow in a poem thus entitled.
 Golden marcasite tin. [Obs.]
 Golden mean, the way of wisdom and safety between extremes; sufficiency without excess; moderation.
    Angels guard him in the golden mean.   --Pope.
 -- Golden mole Zool, one of several South African Insectivora of the family Chrysochloridæ, resembling moles in form and habits.  The fur is tinted with green, purple, and gold.
 Golden number Chronol., a number showing the year of the lunar or Metonic cycle.  It is reckoned from 1 to 19, and is so called from having formerly been written in the calendar in gold.
 Golden oriole. Zool. See Oriole.
 Golden pheasant. See under Pheasant.
 Golden pippin, a kind of apple, of a bright yellow color.
 Golden plover Zool., one of several species of plovers, of the genus Charadrius, esp. the European (Charadrius apricarius, syn. Charadrius pluvialis; -- called also yellow plover, black-breasted plover, hill plover, and whistling plover.  The common American species (Charadrius dominicus) is also called frostbird, and bullhead.
 Golden robin. Zool. See Baltimore oriole, in Vocab.
 Golden rose R. C. Ch., a gold or gilded rose blessed by the pope on the fourth Sunday in Lent, and sent to some church or person in recognition of special services rendered to the Holy See.
 Golden rule. (a) The rule of doing as we would have others do to us.  Cf. --Luke vi. 31. (b) The rule of proportion, or rule of three.
 Golden samphire Bot., a composite plant (Inula crithmoides), found on the seashore of Europe.
 Golden saxifrage Bot., a low herb with yellow flowers (Chrysosplenium oppositifolium), blossoming in wet places in early spring.
 Golden seal Bot., a perennial ranunculaceous herb (Hydrastis Canadensis), with a thick knotted rootstock and large rounded leaves.
 Golden sulphide of antimony, or Golden sulphuret of antimony Chem., the pentasulphide of antimony, a golden or orange yellow powder.
 Golden warbler Zool., a common American wood warbler (Dendroica æstiva); -- called also blue-eyed yellow warbler, garden warbler, and summer yellow bird.
 Golden wasp Zool., a bright-colored hymenopterous insect, of the family Chrysididæ. The colors are golden, blue, and green.
 Golden wedding. See under Wedding.

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