NIGHTINGALE DEFINITIONS - 10 definitions found
nightingale n 1: European songbird noted for its melodious nocturnal song [syn: nightingale, Luscinia megarhynchos] 2: English nurse remembered for her work during the Crimean War (1820-1910) [syn: Nightingale, Florence Nightingale, Lady with the Lamp] nightingale O.E. n?ictigal?i, compound formed in P.Gmc. from *nakht- "night" (from PIE *nokt-) + *galon "to sing," related to O.E. giellan "yell." With parasitic -n-. Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition (2003) Nightingale biographical name Florence 1820-1910 English nurse & philanthropist Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition (2003) nightingale noun Etymology: Middle English, alteration of Old English nihtegale, from niht + galan to sing — more at yell Date: 13th century an Old World thrush (Luscinia megarhynchos syn. Erithacus megarhynchos) noted for the sweet usually nocturnal song of the male; also any of various other birds noted for their sweet song or for singing at night Oxford English Reference Dictionary
English Explanatory Dictionary nightingale ˈnaɪtɪŋɡeɪl n. any small reddish-brown bird of the genus Luscinia, esp. L. megarhynchos, of which the male sings melodiously, esp. at night. [OE nihtegala (whence obs. nightgale) f. Gmc: for -n- cf. FARTHINGALE] 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue NIGHTINGALE A soldier who, as the term is, sings out at the halberts. It is a point of honour in some regiments, among the grenadiers, never to cry out, become nightingales, whilst under the discipline of the cat of nine tails; to avoid which, they chew a bullet. Handy Dictionary of Poetical Quotations Nightingale The nightingale, if she should sing by day, When every goose is cackling, would be thought No better a musician than the wren. How many things by season season'd are To their right praise, and true perfection! SHAKESPEARE: M. of Venice, Act v., Sc. 1. O Nightingale, that on yon bloomy spray Warblest at eve, when all the woods are still, Thou with fresh hope the lover's heart dost fill. MILTON: Sonnet 1. Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) Nightingale \Night"in*gale\, n. [OE. nihtegale,nightingale, AS. nihtegale; niht night + galan to sing, akin to E. yell; cf. D. nachtegaal, OS. nahtigala, OHG. nahtigala, G. nachtigall, Sw. n["a]ktergal, Dan. nattergal. See Night, and Yell.] 1. (Zo["o]l.) A small, plain, brown and gray European song bird ({Luscinia luscinia}). It sings at night, and is celebrated for the sweetness of its song. 2. (Zo["o]l.) A larger species ({Lucinia philomela}), of Eastern Europe, having similar habits; the thrush nightingale. The name is also applied to other allied species. Mock nightingale. (Zo["o]l.) See Blackcap, n., 1 (a) . Soule\'s Dictionary of English Synonyms nightingale n. Philomel, philomela, rossigno, (Philomela luscinia). |
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