1.  Any species of raptorial birds of the family Strigidæ. They have large eyes and ears, and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye. They are mostly nocturnal in their habits. [1913 Webster]
" Some species have erectile tufts of feathers on the head. The feathers are soft and somewhat downy. The species are numerous. See Barn owl, Burrowing owl, Eared owl, Hawk owl, Horned owl, Screech owl, Snowy owl, under Barn, Burrowing, etc." [1913 Webster]
" In the Scriptures the owl is commonly associated with desolation; poets and story-tellers introduce it as a bird of ill omen. . . . The Greeks and Romans made it the emblem of wisdom, and sacred to Minerva, -- and indeed its large head and solemn eyes give it an air of wisdom. Am. Cyc." Am. Cyc. [1913 Webster]

2.  A variety of the domestic pigeon. [1913 Webster]

1.  To pry about; to prowl. [1913 Webster]

2.  To carry wool or sheep out of England. [1913 Webster]
" This was formerly illegal, and was done chiefly by night." [1913 Webster]

3.  Hence, to carry on any contraband trade. [1913 Webster]

owl, n.
1 any nocturnal bird of prey of the order Strigiformes, with large eyes and a hooked beak, including barn owls, tawny owls, etc.
2 colloq. a person compared to an owl, esp. in looking solemn or wise.

Idiom:
owl-light dusk, twilight. owl-monkey (pl. -eys) a douroucouli.

Derivative:
owlery n. (pl. -ies). owlish adj. owlishly adv. owlishness n. (in sense 2). owl-like adj.

Etymology:
OE ule f. Gmc

N  fool, idiot, tomfool, wiseacre, simpleton, witling, dizzard, donkey, ass, ninny, ninnyhammer, chowderhead, chucklehead, dolt, booby, Tom Noddy, looby, hoddy-doddy, noddy, nonny, noodle, nizy, owl, goose, goosecap, imbecile, gaby, radoteur, nincompoop, badaud, zany, trifler, babbler, pretty fellow, natural, niais, child, baby, infant, innocent, milksop, sop, oaf, lout, loon, lown, dullard, doodle, calf, colt, buzzard, block, put, stick, stock, numps, tony, bull head, dunderhead, addlehead, blockhead, dullhead, loggerhead, jolthead, jolterhead, beetlehead, beetlebrain, grosshead, muttonhead, noodlehead, giddyhead, numbskull, thickskull, lackbrain, shallowbrain, dimwit, halfwit, lackwit, dunderpate, lunkhead sawney, gowk, clod, clod-hopper, clod-poll, clot-poll, clot-pate, bull calf, gawk, Gothamite, lummox, rube, men of Boeotia, wise men of Gotham, un sot a triple etage, sot, jobbernowl, changeling, mooncalf, gobemouche, dotard, driveler, old fogey, old woman, crock, crone, grandmother, cotquean, henhussy, incompetent (insanity), greenhorn, dunce, lubber, madman, one who will not set the Thames on fire, one who did not invent gunpowder, qui n'a pas invente' la poudre, no conjuror, fortuna favet fatuis, les fous font les festinas et les sages les mangen, nomina stultorum parietibus harrent, stultorum plena sunt omnia.

barn owl, barred owl, great gray owl, great grey owl, great horned owl, hawk owl, hoot owl, horned owl, laughing owl, little owl, long-eared owl, night owl, old world scops owl, oriental scops owl, scops owl, screech owl, sea owl, spotted owl, tawny owl