Homing

Homing
Homing Hom"ing (h[=o]m"[i^]ng), p. a. Home-returning; -- used specifically of carrier pigeons. [1913 Webster]

{Homing pigeon}, any pigeon trained to return home from a distance. Also called {carrier pigeon}. Most are bred from the domestic pigeon {Columba livia}. Homing pigeons are used for sending back messages or for flying races. By carrying the birds away and releasing them at gradually increasing distances from home, they may be trained to return with more or less certainty and promptness from distances up to four or five hundred miles. The birds typically do not stop on their way home, and may average as much as 60 miles per hour on their return trip. If the distance is increased much beyond 400 miles, the birds are unable to cover it without stopping for a prolonged rest, and their return becomes doubtful. The record for returnig from a distance is close to 1,200 miles. Homing pigeons are not bred for fancy points or special colors, but for strength, speed, endurance, and intelligence or homing instinct. Although used since ancient times, homing pigeons have been largely displaced for practical purposes by radio and electronic communications, but they are still used in some special situations at the end of the 20th century. They were used in military operations as recently as in World War II. [Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • homing — [ omiŋ] n. m. ÉTYM. 1954, Larousse mensuel; mot angl., p. prés. de to home, de home. → Home. ❖ ♦ Anglic. Techn. Navigation maritime ou aérienne effectuée en se dirigeant sur un radiophare. Équivalent franç. : radioralliement. || « Téléphone sous… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • homing — action of going home, 1765, in reference to pigeons, from prp. of HOME (Cf. home) (v.). Homing pigeon attested by 1868 …   Etymology dictionary

  • homing — homing. См. хоминг. (Источник: «Англо русский толковый словарь генетических терминов». Арефьев В.А., Лисовенко Л.А., Москва: Изд во ВНИРО, 1995 г.) …   Молекулярная биология и генетика. Толковый словарь.

  • homing — ► ADJECTIVE 1) (of a pigeon or other animal) able to return home from a great distance. 2) (of a weapon) able to find and hit a target electronically …   English terms dictionary

  • homing — [hōm′iŋ] adj. 1. going home; homeward bound 2. having to do with guidance to a goal, target, etc …   English World dictionary

  • homing — /hoh ming/, adj. 1. capable of returning home, usually over a great distance: We saw the homing birds at dusk. 2. guiding or directing homeward or to a destination, esp. by mechanical means: the homing instinct; a homing beacon. [1860 65; HOME +… …   Universalium

  • homing — [[t]ho͟ʊmɪŋ[/t]] 1) ADJ: ADJ n A weapon or piece of equipment that has a homing system is able to guide itself to a target or to give out a signal that guides people to it. ...infra red homing missiles... All the royal cars are fitted with… …   English dictionary

  • homing — hom|ing [ houmıŋ ] adjective used for describing equipment that is able to find a particular place or object homing instinct if an animal or bird has a homing instinct, it is able to find its way home across long distances …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

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