oof-bird

plural oof-birds

1. BritishdatedidiomaticslangAny source or supplier of money.

   If you make an oof-bird and feed him properly all the time, you will grow rich.

   1937 August 28, “The Oof-bird Feeds on Pennies”, in The Argus, page 36

   4 more examples

   “Oh,” Johnnie was saying, “so Quest is his name, is it, and he lives in a city called Boisingham, does he? Is he an oof bird?” (rich) “Rather,” answered the Tiger, “if only one can make the dollars run, but he's a nasty mean boy, he is.

   1888, H. Rider Haggard, Colonel Quaritch V.C. (archive.org ebook), page 232

   It is a sad and weary time for many, for when the dustman, the man who blacks the boots, and he with the grog-blossom on his nose who does nothing but hold cab-doors open when nobody asks him to have all been paid, the oof bird takes unto itself wings and flies away.

   1888 December 27, The Sportsman

   The probability is that he's a crackpot; and if he isn't, he has some little game on foot — in close association with the hunt of the oof-bird! — which he tried to work off on me, but couldn't'.

   1897, Richard Marsh, “The Picture”, in The Beetle

   "I guess you're attracted to Africa by the lure of the Oof bird," Gifford said eagerly smearing a layer of orange marmalade on thick bread roasted over the campfire.

   2003, Peter Van Wyk, “The Call to Monomotapa”, in Burnham: King of Scouts, page 65

   Synonyms: golden goose, oof-bag