drake

views updated May 17 2018

drake1 / drāk/ • n. a male duck: ducks and drakes | [as adj.] a drake mallard. drake 2 • n. (in fishing) a natural or artificial mayfly, esp. a subadult or gravid female.

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

drake

views updated May 29 2018

drake 2 male of the duck. XIII. of obscure orig.; rel. to G. dial. (LG.) drake, drache and the second el. of OHG. antrahho, antrehho, the first el. of this comp. being OHG. anut = OE. ened, MLG. anet (Du. eend), ON. ǫnd; widespread IE. word for ‘duck’, repr. by L. anas, anat-, Gr. nèssa, etc.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD

drake

views updated Jun 11 2018

drake 1 †dragon OE; (f. LG.) kind of cannon; angler's name for species of fly XVII. OE. draca = MLG., MDu. drake (Du. draak), OHG. trahho :- WGmc. *drakan- — L. dracō DRAGON.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD

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