Middle English Dictionary Entry
merliǒun n.
Entry Info
| Forms | merliǒun n. Also merliȝon, merilioun, merlein, merlin, merlon, marlion. |
| Etymology | AF; cp. CF esmerillon, prob. from Gmc. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A small European falcon, the merlin Falco aesalon; (b) ?confused with the heraldic merlete.
Associated quotations
a
- [ ?a1300 Le medicinal des oiseus in MS Digby 86 (Dgb 86)p.10 : Pur merilun afeiter. ]
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Lev.11.13 : Ȝe sholen not ete of briddes & been to be shoned of ȝow: an Egle, & agriffyn, & amerlyon [vr. merlyoun; WB(2): aliete; L haliæetum].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Deut.14.12 : Alle clene briddys ete ȝe; vnclene ete ȝe not, egle þat is, & gryffun & a merlion [vr. merliȝon].
- c1390 Bi west (Vrn)9 : A Merlyon a Brid had hente, And in hire foot heo gan hit bringe.
- c1390 Bi west (Vrn)174 : Merlyons feet ben colde.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)3b/a : Alietus: a merlion.
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)339 : The merlioun [vrr. Merilioun, Merlyon, Merleyn; Emerlion], that payneth Hymself ful ofte the larke for to seke.
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)611 : 'Thanne are we wel!' seyde the merlioun.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)334 : Merlyone, byrd: Merulus, alietus.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)4322 : Thus was she cause that he was dede, Thorgh goddys disposicion Tourned to A Merlyon.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)107 : I am neither gerfaucoun, ne faucoun, ne sperhauk, ne a merlyoun [F esmerillon].
- c1450 Trin-C.LEDict.(Trin-C O.5.4)563/25 : Ametus: a merlyn.
- ?a1475 Gloss RSS in Sln.1986 (Sln 1986)56 : Merlyn [glossing:] merula.
- a1500 Herkyn to my tale (Adv 19.3.1)p.81 : Ther were wesels and waspes offeryng carte-saduls, Muscetes and marlyons, laduls and cawdurns.
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)761/8 : Hic aluctor: a merlone.
b
- a1500 *Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)87/27 : Beleve is, by ensaumple, comparable to a byrde callid alerion or a merlion, which hath no feete to go on the grounde, but all hir movyng is on hir wynges.