imp. & p. p. of Behold. [ 1913 Webster ]
adj. owned by a relatively few shareholders; -- of business organizations;
imp. & p. p. of Hold. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. [ OE., fr. sheld a shield, probably in allusion to the ornamentation of shields. See Shield. ] Variegated; spotted; speckled; piebald. [ Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]
n. (Zool.) The common sheldrake. [ Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ Sheld + drake. ]
☞ It has the head and neck greenish black, the breast, sides, and forward part of the back brown, the shoulders and middle of belly black, the speculum green, and the bill and frontal bright red. Called also
☞ The Australian sheldrake (Tadorna radja) has the head, neck, breast, flanks, and wing coverts white, the upper part of the back and a band on the breast deep chestnut, and the back and tail black. The chestnut sheldrake of Australia (Casarca tadornoides) is varied with black and chestnut, and has a dark green head and neck. The ruddy sheldrake, or Braminy duck (Casarca rutila), and the white-winged sheldrake (Casarca leucoptera), are related Asiatic species. [ 1913 Webster ]
☞ The name is also loosely applied to other ducks, as the canvasback, and the shoveler. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ Sheld variegated + duck. ] (Zool.) The sheldrake.
imp. & p. p. of Uphold. [ 1913 Webster ]