weathercock
weathercock — noun
- weathercocksingular
- weathercocksplural
1. a metal or wooden object shaped like a chicken, fixed to the top of a building,
a metal or wooden object shaped like a chicken, fixed to the top of a building, that turns around to show the direction from which the wind comes
The weathercock on the church steeple creaked and spun as the storm began.
collocation: on the [building] steeple
Rachid painted the weathercock red so he could spot it from the garden.
The copper weathercock on the barn roof pointed south before the rain came.
Theo climbed up onto the barn roof to oil the weathercock and see which way the wind was blowing.
- weathervane
the general term for any wind-direction indicator; a weathercock is a kind of weathervane in rooster shape
- wind vane
technical term used in meteorology; less common in everyday speech
- vane
shorter form, sometimes used when the shape is not specified
用法筆記
The figurative meaning 'a person who changes their opinions or loyalties easily' exists but is considered dated or literary in modern English. This dictionary covers only the literal sense.