redshank

plural redshanks · alternative red shank

1. Any of two species of Old World wading bird in the genus Tringa that have long red legs.

   Saltings ringing with the redshank's cry.

   1967, J. A. Baker, The Peregrine, page 41

2. Any member of the species Ceratodon purpureus of moss.

   Synonyms: fire moss, purple horn toothed moss

3. Lady's thumb or redleg (Persicaria maculosa), an herb in the buckwheat family.
4. derogatoryobsoleteA bare-legged person; one of the Scottish Highlanders, who wore kilts.

   Much worse then the former; for who that is experienced in those partes and knoweth not that the Oneales are neerely alied unto the Mac Oneales of Scotland, and to the Earle of Argill, from whom they use to have all ther succors of those Scottes and Redshanks?

   1997 [1596], Edmund Spenser, A Veue of the Present State of Ireland, archived from the original on 18 Apr 2019