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Gizzard

1. (Science: anatomy, ornithology) The second, or true, muscular stomach of birds, in which the food is crushed and ground, after being softened in the glandular stomach (crop), or lower part of the oesophagus; the gigerium.

2. (Science: marine biology) a thick muscular stomach found in many invertebrate animals. A stomach armed with chitinous or shelly plates or teeth, as in certain insects and mollusks.

3. (Science: zoology) gizzard shad, an American herring (Dorosoma cepedianum) resembling the shad, but of little value. To fret the gizzard, to harass; to vex one's self; to worry. To stick in one's gizzard, to be difficult of digestion; to be offensive.

Origin: f. Gesier, L. Gigeria, pl, the cooked entrails of poultry. Cf. Gigerium.