a sticky material prepared from holly, mistletoe, or other plants, and smeared on twigs to catch small birds that light on it.
verb (used with object), birdlimed, birdliming.
2.
to smear with birdlime.
3.
to catch or capture, as with birdlime:
to be birdlimed by flattery.
Origin
1400-50;late Middle Englishbrydelyme. See bird, lime1
British Dictionary definitions for birdlime
birdlime
/ˈbɜːdˌlaɪm/
noun
1.
a sticky substance, prepared from holly, mistletoe, or other plants, smeared on twigs to catch small birds
verb
2.
(transitive) to smear (twigs) with birdlime to catch (small birds)
Word Origin and History for birdlime
n.
viscous sticky stuff prepared from holly bark and used to catch small birds, mid-15c., from bird (n.1) + lime (n.1). Used as rhyming slang for time (especially time in prison) by 1857.