An extremely adhesive viscid substance, usually made of the middle bark of the holly, by boiling, fermenting, and cleansing it. When a twig is smeared with this substance it will hold small birds which may light upon it. Hence: Anything which insnares.

To smear with birdlime; to catch with birdlime; to insnare.

a sticky adhesive that is smeared on small branches to capture small birds

The word bird lime or birdlime can mean:-