Definition of "chicken"

Some chickens lay eggs almost every day. […] Chickens are kept for their meat, too.

1997, Beverley Randell, Clive Harper, Chickens, Nelson Thornes, page 8

Amongst thee more harmless reptiles to be found were several lizards and iguanas. The natives killed these and used them for food. The flesh was not despised by explorers, and I was told it tasted exactly like chicken; but, however good it might have been, my courage was not suffcient to enable me to overcome my prejudice against tasting it.

1887, Harriet W. Daly, Digging, Squatting, and Pioneering Life in the Northern Territory of South Australia, page 97

Before cooking chicken, or other poultry, rinse with cold water and pat dry with a paper towel.

1995, Jean Paré, Chicken, Etc., Company's Coming Publishing Limited, page 7

There they are – four ugly little chickens, a bit more than half-feathered, and all gaping mouths and bare bellies.

1934, Henry G. Lamond, An Aviary on the Plains, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 220

'Why, what a chicken you are! You are not afraid of being robbed; are you?' said Jonas.

1842 December – 1844 July, Charles Dickens, chapter 28, in The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1844

Then he had an inspiration. "There is Roxton," said he. "He's not a chicken, but he is a useful man in a row. I think I could get him."

1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “(please specify the chapter number)”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 2019

Usually, I had no problem approaching girls, but this one was different. I went home and berated myself for being such a chicken.

2008, Lanakila Michael Achong, Haole Boy: The Adoption of Diversity, iUniverse, page 44

Purſue your trade of ſcandal-picking, Your hints, that Stella is no chicken: Your innuendos, when you tell us, That Stella loves to talk with fellows; […]

1752, Jonathan Swift, “Stella's Birth-day, 1720”, in The Works of D. Jonathan Swift. In Nine Volumes. The Seventh Edition, to which is Prefixed, the Doctor's Life, with Remarks on His Writings, from the Earl of Orrery and Others, not to be Found in any Former Edition of His Works, 7th edition, volume II (Containing His Poetical Writings), Dublin, Edinburgh: printed; and [...] reprinted, for G. Hamilton & J. Balfour, & L. Hunter at Edinburgh; and A. Stalker, at Glasgow; and sold by them and other booksellers, page 99

"This case will make a stir, sir," he remarked. "It beats anything I have seen, and I am no chicken."

1886, Arthur Conan Doyle, “The Lauriston Garden Mystery”, in A Study in Scarlet (Beeton's Christmas Annual; 28th season), London; New York, N.Y.: Ward Lock & Co., November 1887, OCLC 15800088; republished as A Study in Scarlet. A Detective Story, new edition, London: Ward, Lock, Bowden, and Co., 1892, OCLC 23246292, page 43

Europe's Favorite Gay Newspaper has something for you! Handsome studs, Tender Chicken, and lots of Male Nudes!

1976 April 10, “Classified advertisement”, in Gay Community News, page 19

Up early in the morning trappin' (Trap-trap)You can get 'em how you askin' (Ask)How many chickens? You can get 'em whichever wayNigga, trap turned Zaxby's (Zax)

2017 January 3, Migos (lyrics and music), “Call Casting”, in Culture‎, Track 3

2019 May 20, “15 Chickens”‎performed by The Norf ft. Rucci, 2Eleven, Ackrite, Nfant, and Lil Deuce

For the umpteenth time, I chickened.

1964, Max Shulman, Anyone Got a Match?, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Row, page 31

ABE: What are you chucking it for, then? You're running, aren't you? Running, cos you chickened. SLIM: All right, so I chickened.

1968, Aidan Chambers, The Chicken Run: A Play for Young People, Oxford: Heinemann Educational Publishers, act II, scene v, page 81

To reach the lower branches of the blackwood one had to swing Tarzan-like across a narrow gully choked with gorse and blackberries. […] [T]he challenge of the rope swing was definitely more in James' line. […] Even if he slipped and failed, or worse, chickened, they would be unlikely to judge too harshly.

2014, Anne M. Brown, “James Day”, in Belonging: The Story of How James Became a Brown, Acacia Ridge, Qld.: Australian eBook Publisher

The 21 or 22 day the Chicken are hatch'd; […]

1669, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London