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The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition

sparrow

sparrow common name of various small brown-and-gray perching birds. New World birds called sparrows are members of the finch family. They were named for their resemblance to the English sparrow and the European tree sparrow (members of the weaver bird family), both introduced in the Americas. Members of both groups have stout, conical beaks adapted to seed eating. Among the many sparrows found in the United States are the song sparrow, the white-throated sparrow (or peabody bird), and the chipping, white-crowned, vesper, Lincoln's, fox, field, tree, and swamp sparrows. Sparrows are valuable to farmers in destroying weed seeds. Originally sparrow meant any small bird; the word appears in this sense in Greek mythology and in the Scriptures.

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sparrow

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology | 1996 | | Â© The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology 1996, originally published by Oxford University Press 1996. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

sparrow OE. spearwa = OHG. sparo, MHG. sparwe, ON. spǫrr, Goth. sparwa :- Gmc. *sparwan-, *sparwaz.

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T. F. HOAD. "sparrow." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Jul. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "sparrow." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (July 10, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-sparrow.html

T. F. HOAD. "sparrow." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved July 10, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-sparrow.html

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

	The Warden: A Portrait of John Sparrow.(Review) Magazine article from: New Criterion; 3/1/1999
	It only takes an hour to help our sparrows. Newspaper article from: Hemel Gazette (Hemel Hempstead, England); 1/3/2007
	The low-down on grasshopper sparrow nests. Newspaper article from: Endangered Species Update; 11/1/2001

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	The Warden: A Portrait of John Sparrow.(Review) Magazine article from: New Criterion; 3/1/1999; ; 700+ words ; John Lowe The Warden: A Portrait of John Sparrow. HarperCollins UK, 258 pages, 19.99 [pounds...sinecure, on a matter of principle, than John Sparrow, who intrigued to obtain the Wardenship...John Lowe, a long-standing friend of Sparrow's, has had full access to his papers and... Read more
	It only takes an hour to help our sparrows. Newspaper article from: Hemel Gazette (Hemel Hempstead, England); 1/3/2007; 633 words ; ...decline in numbers of the once common house sparrow. The Royal Society for Protection of Birds (RSPB), lists the sparrow in the most critical category of conservation...nest box in your garden to encourage sparrows to move in. He said: Sparrow numbers... Read more
	The low-down on grasshopper sparrow nests. Newspaper article from: Endangered Species Update; 11/1/2001; ; 700+ words ; For the low-down on grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) nests, you need to get...the first quantitative description of grasshopper sparrow nest sites. The Florida grasshopper sparrow is endemic to the south-central prairie region... Read more
	The Low-down on Grasshopper Sparrow Nests.(Brief Article) Magazine article from: Endangered Species Bulletin; 9/1/2000; ; 700+ words ; For the low-down on grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) nests, you need to get...the first quantitative description of grasshopper sparrow nest sites. The Florida grasshopper sparrow is endemic to the south-central prairie region... Read more
	Is God in Charge? Mary Doria Russell's The Sparrow , Deconstruction, and Theodicy. Magazine article from: Journal of Religion and Popular Culture; 3/22/2005; 700+ words ; ...Paul, MN Abstract Mary Doria Russell's The Sparrow leads the reader to wrestle with how evil...risks and beauties of religious faith. The sparrow of the novel's title refers to the insignificant sparrow of Matthew 10:29-31 that is observed and... Read more
	New company to launch at winter NAMM show: Sparrow Guitar Co.(PRODUCT NEWS) Magazine article from: Music Trades; 2/1/2006; 202 words ; SPARROW GUITAR CO. has selected the NAMM 2006 winter show for its...lineup of classic guitars inspired by American hot rods. Sparrow is an electric guitar company offering bold and inspired...that are affordable, distinct, and like no other, each Sparrow guitar is handpainted and detailed by resident ... Read more
	Harper, Suzanne. The secret life of Sparrow Delaney.(Young adult review)(Book review) Magazine article from: Kliatt; 7/1/2007; ; 342 words ; HARPER, Suzanne. The secret life of Sparrow Delaney. HarperCollins. 368p. c2007. 0-061131...99. JS* There's no getting around it: Sparrow Delaney's family is eccentric. She, her...the biggest secret actually belongs to Sparrow. For the past 15 years, she has been consoling... Read more
	Sparrow Guitars now available in the U.S.: LPD Music.(NEW PRODUCTS) Magazine article from: Music Trades; 10/1/2008; 188 words ; LPD MUSIC International is bringing Sparrow Guitars to the U.S. market as the...addition to its product lineup. The Sparrow Guitar Company, located in Vancouver...Hand-painted pure rock and roll, Sparrow guitars are inspired by the hot rods... Read more
	How Many Sparrows? A brainteaser from Iran. Magazine article from: Highlights for Children; 3/1/2007; ; 71 words ; Two trees stood on a hill. A sparrow in the first tree called to the sparrows in the other: If two of you were to come over here, this tree would have triple the number of sparrows that your tree would have. Yes, answered a sparrow... Read more
	Sparrow's Revenge.(Brief article)(Book review) Newspaper article from: Reviewer's Bookwatch; 1/1/2009; ; 103 words ; Sparrow's Revenge Paul Salsini 2230 E. Bradford Ave., Unit G, Milwaukee, WI 53211 (author) iUniverse...iuniverse.com Revenge is something some people are willing to travel long and hard to find. Sparrow's Revenge follows a gentleman who used the codename of Sparrow as he fought as a resistance fighter ... Read more