† ˈmodwall Obs.
Also 7–8 mud-, 8 mid-.
A variant or corruption, in old Dictionaries, for woodwall or witwall.
| 1572 Huloet, Modwall a byrde which destroyeth bees, apiastra. 1657 C. Beck Univ. Char. I ij, A mudwall or wood pecker bird. 1658 Rowland tr. Moufet's Theat. Ins. 901 The nests of Swallowes, Modwals [orig. apiastrorum], Owls, or Wood-peckers. 1706 Phillips (ed. Kersey), Midwall{ddd}Modwall. 1736 Ainsworth Lat. Dict. 1, Modwall (bird), picus... Mud wall (bird), apiaster. Ibid. 11, Apiastra,..midwal. |