Middle English Dictionary Entry
tercel n.
Entry Info
| Forms | tercel n. Also tercelle, tersel, tarcel(le, tars(s)el & (error) tertel. |
| Etymology | OF terçuel, tercel, tercel(e, AF terssel. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
The male of any of several species of diurnal birds of prey, esp. a male hawk or falcon; ~ egle, egle ~, roial ~, a male eagle; ~ gentil, a male peregrine falcon.
Associated quotations
- (1303) in Gras Eng.Cust.Syst.298 : De eodem pro v ostours et i tertel [read: tercel], val xl s., [cust.] vi d.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)66 : It is a good þing to a man þat hath a good goshauke, or tercelle, or sparhauke for þe parterich to haue soche houndes.
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)393 : The tersel egle..The foul royal..He shal first..speken in his gyse.
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)415 : With hed enclyned and with humble cheere, This royal tersel spak.
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)540 : 'Al redy!' quod these egles tercels tho.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)489 : Tercel, hawke: Tercillus.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)2211 : I shall you teche were ye shall fynde Sacres, laners, Tercelles [vr. Tarcellys] many, Gerfawcon, ffawcon, that fle so hye In-to the Skye.
- a1450 Simpson Nominale (Simpson)95/333 : Une terseler: tersell.
- ?a1450 Poem Hawking (Yale 163)458 : Now of gosehauk kepyng I haue ȝou tolde; Now kepe his tarsell of the same maner, Wheder thei be ȝong or olde.
- ?a1450 Poem Hawking (Yale 163)569 : The tarcell-gentill is worst of alle..For thei ar nat rulyd by the rules alle.
- c1450 Trin-C.LEDict.(Trin-C O.5.4)615/24 : Tardarius: a tarcel, quoddam genus nisi.
- (1472) Paston (EETS)1.580 : Rather then faylle, a tarssell prouyd wyll ocwpy the tyme tyll I com to Caleys.
- a1475 Hrl.Bk.Hawking in Studia Neoph.166 : A goshauke or tercell..fede here with wasche mete.
- a1500 Add.37075 Gloss (Add 37075)81/316a : Tarcellus: tarcelle.