ˈmissel-bird Now dial.
Also 7 missle-, 8 mizzel-.
[f. missel. Cf. G. mistelfink, Du. mistelvink.]
= missel-thrush.
| 1626 Bacon Sylva §556 An Idle Tradition, that there is a Bird, called a Missel-Bird, that feedeth upon a seed which many times shee cannot digest [etc.]. 1646 Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. ii. vi. 98 One kind of thrush called ἰξοβόρος, the missell thrush or feeder upon misseltoe. 1676 Willughby Ornith. ii. xvii. 137 Turdus viscivorus major. The Missel-Bird or Shrite. 1731 E. Albin Nat. Hist. Birds 31 The Mizzel-Bird, Turdus Viscivorus. 1768 Pennant Brit. Zool. I. 226. 1773 G. White Selborne, To Pennant 9 Nov., The people of Hampshire and Sussex call the Missel-bird the storm⁓cock. 1879 G. F. Jackson Shropsh. Word-bk. |