do bird

do (one's) bird

slang To serve a prison sentence. From rhyming slang, in which "bird" is short for "birdlime," which rhymes with "time." Primarily heard in UK. After doing his bird for the past five years, Mark is getting released from jail today. A: "I 'eard Bill's doing his bird again." B: "Yep, six years in Thameside." That kid was always trouble, so I'm not surprised he's doing his bird these days.
See also: bird

do bird

slang To serve a prison sentence. The phrase comes from rhyming slang in which "bird" is short for "birdlime," which rhymes with "time." ("Doing time" is itself slang for serving a prison sentence.) Primarily heard in UK. After doing bird for the past five years, Mark is getting released from jail today. A: "I 'eard Bill's doing bird again." B: "Yep, six years in Thameside." That kid was always trouble, so I'm not surprised he's doing bird these days.
See also: bird
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

do bird

serve a prison sentence. British informal
In this phrase bird comes from rhyming slang birdlime ‘time’.
See also: bird
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
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