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Possible definitions for zittern

bittern
Any of 12 species of solitary marsh birds (family Ardeidae), related to herons but having a shorter neck and a stouter body. Most bitterns bear a camouflage pattern (streaks of variegated brown and buff) that enables them to hide by standing upright with bill pointed upward, imitating the reeds and grasses of their habitat. They feed on fish, frogs, crayfish, and other small swamp and marsh animals, which they spear with their sharp-pointed bills. Bitterns are found almost worldwide. The largest species grow to 30 in. (75 cm), the smallest to about 12-16 in. (30-40 cm).


butternut
Deciduous nut-producing tree (Juglans cinerea) of the walnut family, native to E N. America. A mature tree has gray, deeply furrowed bark. Each leaf has 11-17 yellowish-green leaflets that are hairy underneath. Chocolate-colored partitions divide the pith of the twig into many chambers. The egg-shaped fruit has a sticky, greenish-brown husk. The hard, woody nut bears many ridges and contains a sweet, oily seed. The tree is economically important for its edible nuts and for a yellow or orange dye obtained from the fruit husks. Some substances in the inner bark of the roots are used in medicines.


jitterbug
Dance variation of the two-step in which couples swing, balance, and twirl in standardized patterns to syncopated music in 4/4 time. It originally included acrobatic lifts and swings, but became modified in ballroom versions. It originated in the U.S. in the mid-1930s and became internationally popular in the 1940s. Its step patterns varied, and could include the lindy hop and the jive.


zither
Plucked or struck stringed instrument with a shallow soundbox. The common Austrian zither is roughly rectangular and has 30-40 strings; it is placed on the player's knees or on a table. Several melody strings pass over a fretted fingerboard; the player's left hand stops these strings, while the right hand plucks with the fingers and a thumb plectrum. The larger zither family includes such instruments as the Aeolian harp, autoharp, cimbalom, dulcimer, koto, and even the clavichord, harpsichord, and piano.

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