blackbird

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: black=bird

CIDE DICTIONARY

blackbird, n. 

 In England, a species of thrush (Turdus merula), a singing bird with a fin note; the merle. In America the name is given to several birds, as the Quiscalus versicolor, or crow blackbird; the Agelæus phœniceus, or red-winged blackbird; the cowbird; the rusty grackle, etc. See Redwing.  [1913 Webster]

blackbird, n. 

•  Among slavers and pirates, a negro or Polynesian.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
•  A native of any of the islands near Queensland; -- called also Kanaka.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

blackbird, v. i. 

 to engage in the slave trade.  [PJC]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

blackbird, n.
1 a common thrush, Turdus merula, of which the male is black with an orange beak.
2 US any of various birds, esp. a grackle, with black plumage.
3 hist. a kidnapped Negro or Polynesian on a slave-ship.