Vulture
noun
A large bird that eats dead animals.
Vultures are circling overhead, waiting for the animal to die.
Often appears as...
- scavenging vulture
- vulture circling
noun
A person who tries to get benefit from other people's trouble.
Don't be a vulture, picking over his misfortune like this.
Often appears as...
- career vulture
- media vulture
Usage tips
Disapproving
Idiomatic
noun
A large bird that eats dead animals.
Vultures are circling overhead, waiting for the animal to die.
Often appears as...
- scavenging vulture
- vulture circling
noun
A person who tries to get benefit from other people's trouble.
Don't be a vulture, picking over his misfortune like this.
Often appears as...
- career vulture
- media vulture
Usage tips
Disapproving
Idiomatic
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Nature's cleaner
Vulture symbolizes nature's way of cleaning by eating decomposing carcasses hence preventing spread of disease.
Clean as a vulture means efficient natural cleaning.
Pro Tip 2/3Not always bald
Although often depicted as bald, not all vultures lack feathers on their head.
Contrary to belief, some vulture species do have feathers atop their heads.
Pro Tip 3/3Cultural symbol
Vultures have various cultural meanings, sometimes positive as cleansers, sometimes negative as death symbols.
In some cultures, the vulture is revered for its cleansing role in the ecosystem.
Pro Tip 1/3Nature's cleaner
Vulture symbolizes nature's way of cleaning by eating decomposing carcasses hence preventing spread of disease.
Clean as a vulture means efficient natural cleaning.
Pro Tip 2/3Not always bald
Although often depicted as bald, not all vultures lack feathers on their head.
Contrary to belief, some vulture species do have feathers atop their heads.
Pro Tip 3/3Cultural symbol
Vultures have various cultural meanings, sometimes positive as cleansers, sometimes negative as death symbols.
In some cultures, the vulture is revered for its cleansing role in the ecosystem.
Pro Tip 1/3Nature's cleaner
Vulture symbolizes nature's way of cleaning by eating decomposing carcasses hence preventing spread of disease.
Clean as a vulture means efficient natural cleaning.
Pro Tip 2/3Not always bald
Although often depicted as bald, not all vultures lack feathers on their head.
Contrary to belief, some vulture species do have feathers atop their heads.
Pro Tip 3/3Cultural symbol
Vultures have various cultural meanings, sometimes positive as cleansers, sometimes negative as death symbols.
In some cultures, the vulture is revered for its cleansing role in the ecosystem.
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Video examples
Vultures: The...
while other researchers are working to repopulate vulture communities through breeding programs. Some regions have even opened vulture restaurants where farmers safely dispose of drug-free livestock. With help, vultures will be able to continue their role
Video examples
Chasing the Rare Snow...
I see it. There it is. Now you can shave your beard. I can shave, I can shave now. One of the things that is peculiar to this place is that there are just so many vultures around. But the leopard has to continually protect its prey during the daytime
Video examples
King Vultures PIPE National...
course dead meat like this armadillo might have bacteria which is why after eating the king vulture lounges in the Sun the short feathers of its head keep the bacteria from getting trapped and then ultraviolet rays help kill the
Video examples
Savanna Vulture PIPE...
virtues they're the most cooperative and most social of all vultures they live together in large colonies and tucked into the sides of cliffs they mate for life sharing parental duties both parents incubate the egg and they both
Video examples
Vultures Steal Hyena's...
vultures they live together in large colonies tucked into the sides of cliffs they mate for life sharing parental duties both parents incubate the egg and they both eat and then regurgitate the meat
Video examples
Vultures - Photographing...
without a whole set of preconceptions what I had to do is is think of ways of presenting vultures to the world they're the fastest declining birds in history they're the fastest declining family of
Video examples
Jackal vs. Ostrich Egg...
vulture has anything to do with it these birds are always on the lookout for edible orbs and jackal proof packaging ostrich eggs are an important source of protein and this vulture has a
Video examples
Jackal vs. Ostrich Eggs...
packaging ostrich eggs are an important source of protein and this vulture has a strategy to get at its contents the Egyptian vulture is one of the few birds
Video examples
TIL: Vultures Have to...
vultures often just aren't strong enough to break into the hide of an animal without larger scavengers to help them vultures have to go for the softest part
Video examples
Wiring a web for global...
a few moments from death, a vulture hovering in the background, a picture that went round the world and shocked people into action on poverty.
Video examples
Vultures: The...
while other researchers are working to repopulate vulture communities through breeding programs. Some regions have even opened vulture restaurants where farmers safely dispose of drug-free livestock. With help, vultures will be able to continue their role
Video examples
Chasing the Rare Snow...
I see it. There it is. Now you can shave your beard. I can shave, I can shave now. One of the things that is peculiar to this place is that there are just so many vultures around. But the leopard has to continually protect its prey during the daytime
Video examples
King Vultures PIPE National...
course dead meat like this armadillo might have bacteria which is why after eating the king vulture lounges in the Sun the short feathers of its head keep the bacteria from getting trapped and then ultraviolet rays help kill the
Video examples
Savanna Vulture PIPE...
virtues they're the most cooperative and most social of all vultures they live together in large colonies and tucked into the sides of cliffs they mate for life sharing parental duties both parents incubate the egg and they both
Video examples
Vultures Steal Hyena's...
vultures they live together in large colonies tucked into the sides of cliffs they mate for life sharing parental duties both parents incubate the egg and they both eat and then regurgitate the meat
Video examples
Vultures - Photographing...
without a whole set of preconceptions what I had to do is is think of ways of presenting vultures to the world they're the fastest declining birds in history they're the fastest declining family of
Video examples
Jackal vs. Ostrich Egg...
vulture has anything to do with it these birds are always on the lookout for edible orbs and jackal proof packaging ostrich eggs are an important source of protein and this vulture has a
Video examples
Jackal vs. Ostrich Eggs...
packaging ostrich eggs are an important source of protein and this vulture has a strategy to get at its contents the Egyptian vulture is one of the few birds
Video examples
TIL: Vultures Have to...
vultures often just aren't strong enough to break into the hide of an animal without larger scavengers to help them vultures have to go for the softest part
Video examples
Wiring a web for global...
a few moments from death, a vulture hovering in the background, a picture that went round the world and shocked people into action on poverty.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Leonardo da Vinci
Italian Artist
It seems that it had been destined before that I should occupy myself so thoroughly with the vulture, for it comes to my mind as a very early memory, when I was still in the cradle, a vulture came down to me, he opened my mouth with his tail and struck me a few times with his tail against my lips.
Quote examples
Noreena Hertz
English Author
Debt vultures are really the scum at the bottom of the pond. These are guys who buy up the debts of the world's poorest countries on the secondary market. You can go buy debts of a country like Peru, for example, at a real discount. Why? Because people think that the debts won't be repaid.
Quote examples
Stephen Moore
American Writer
Many small business owners want to pass their family legacy on to their kids and grandkids, but they are turned over to vulture funds because the family may be asset rich but lacks the cash to pay the estate taxes. I have met people who literally sold the farm to pay the taxes.
Quote examples
Paul Stanley
American Musician
Nothing could ever stop Kiss. I've seen the band in down times where critics were like vultures circling overhead saying things like, 'Well, you know it's the end of your career.
Quote examples
Josh Homme
American Musician
I look at my career as a body of work, not just Queens of the Stone Age records. I'm in Eagles of Death Metal, I'm in Them Crooked Vultures; I make records with other people.
Quote examples
Ethan Coen
American Director
In 'True Grit,' we had a vulture, a trained vulture... that was a pain and that was - even by vulture standards - probably a stupid vulture, and that was frustrating.
Quote examples
Suzy Kassem
American Writer
Fear the vulture, and the vulture will come. Fear nothing, and you are the vulture.
Quote examples
Kevin Nealon
American Comedian
Don't play dead with a vulture. That's exactly what they want.
Quote examples
Debbie Harry
American Musician
I'm a culture vulture, and I just want to experience it all.
Quote examples
Tionne Watkins
American Musician
There's vultures out here. You need to listen and learn.
Quote examples
Leonardo da Vinci
Italian Artist
It seems that it had been destined before that I should occupy myself so thoroughly with the vulture, for it comes to my mind as a very early memory, when I was still in the cradle, a vulture came down to me, he opened my mouth with his tail and struck me a few times with his tail against my lips.
Quote examples
Noreena Hertz
English Author
Debt vultures are really the scum at the bottom of the pond. These are guys who buy up the debts of the world's poorest countries on the secondary market. You can go buy debts of a country like Peru, for example, at a real discount. Why? Because people think that the debts won't be repaid.
Quote examples
Stephen Moore
American Writer
Many small business owners want to pass their family legacy on to their kids and grandkids, but they are turned over to vulture funds because the family may be asset rich but lacks the cash to pay the estate taxes. I have met people who literally sold the farm to pay the taxes.
Quote examples
Paul Stanley
American Musician
Nothing could ever stop Kiss. I've seen the band in down times where critics were like vultures circling overhead saying things like, 'Well, you know it's the end of your career.
Quote examples
Josh Homme
American Musician
I look at my career as a body of work, not just Queens of the Stone Age records. I'm in Eagles of Death Metal, I'm in Them Crooked Vultures; I make records with other people.
Quote examples
Ethan Coen
American Director
In 'True Grit,' we had a vulture, a trained vulture... that was a pain and that was - even by vulture standards - probably a stupid vulture, and that was frustrating.
Quote examples
Suzy Kassem
American Writer
Fear the vulture, and the vulture will come. Fear nothing, and you are the vulture.
Quote examples
Kevin Nealon
American Comedian
Don't play dead with a vulture. That's exactly what they want.
Quote examples
Debbie Harry
American Musician
I'm a culture vulture, and I just want to experience it all.
Quote examples
Tionne Watkins
American Musician
There's vultures out here. You need to listen and learn.
Example 1 of 10
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