Forms: 3 busard, 4–6 bosarde, 5 bosard, buserde, (busherde), busserd, 5–7 bussard, 6 busarde, bussarde, (bousarde, basert), buzarde, buzzarde, 6–7 buzard, 7 busard, 7– buzzard, (Sc. 6 bissart, 8 bizzard, 9 buzzart, dial. buzzert). [a. OF. busart = Pr. buzart; cf. the synonymous Pr. buzac, It. bozzago, -agro, abuzzago, F. buse (16th c. in Littré). The mutual relation of these words is unknown; they are commonly assumed to be derived from L. buteōn-em of same meaning, but the process of formation is not evident.]
1. Name for the genus Buteo of birds of the falcon family, esp. B. vulgaris. Applied with defining words, to other birds belonging to the Falconidæ: as Bald Buzzard, the Osprey, Pandion haliaëtus; Honey Buzzard, Pernis apivorus; Moor Buzzard, Circus æruginosus.
The buzzard was an inferior kind of hawk, useless for falconry; hence app. sense 2. Cf. Fr. buse buzzard, also ‘sot, ignorant, stupide,’ Boiste; ‘imbecille’ Littré. (The chronology appears to make it impossible to connect this sense with the next word.)
c. 1300. K. Alis., 3049. Nultou never … No faucon mak of busard, No hardy knyght mak of coward.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 4033. Man may for no dauntyng Make a sperhauke of a bosarde.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, B ij. An hauke that is broght vp vnder a Bussard or a Puttocke.
1533. Act 25 Hen. VIII., xi. § 6. Crowes, choughes, rauons, and bosardes.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., I. i. 133. That the Eagles should be mew’d, Whiles Kites and Buzards play at liberty.
1616. Surfl. & Markh., Countr. Farm, 715. The short-winged hawkes are [etc.]…, some intrude the Bauld Buzzard.
a. 1734. North, Exam., III. viii. ¶ 70. 638. An Historian and a Libeller are as different as Hawk and Buzzard.
1789. G. White, Selborne, II. xli. (1853), 267. Kites and buzzards sail round in circles.
1839. Stonehouse, Axholme, 66. The moor buzzard still frequents the waste which surrounds Lindholme.
† b. Between hawk and buzzard: (see quot.).
1636. Abp. Williams, Holy Table (1637), 226. [To] awake him thus between Hawk and Buzzard.
1662. Janua Ling., § 146 (N.). Between hawk and buzzard, means between a good thing and a bad of the same kind: the hawk being the true sporting bird, the buzzard a heavy lazy fowl of the same species.
† 2. fig. A worthless, stupid or ignorant person. Often with the adj. blind. Obs. exc. dial.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. X. 266. I rede eche a blynde bosarde do bote to hym-selue.
1401. Pol. Poems (1859), II. 98. Thou blundyrst As a blynde buserde.
1549. Latimer, Serm. bef. Edw. VI. (Arb.), 36. Wo worth such counsellers, bishops, nay rather bussardes.
1571. Ascham, Scholem. (Arb.), 111. Those blind bussardes, who … would neyther learne themselues, nor could teach others.
1652. Gataker, Antinom., 31. A company of … blind blundering bussards.
a. 1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1862), II. II. v. 49. It is common to a proverb, to call one who cannot be taught, or continues obstinately ignorant, a buzzard.
1807. W. Irving, Salmag. (1824), 101. That unlucky passage of Shakspeare which … has … puzzled … many a somniferous buzzard.
1822. Scott, Nigel, ii. You blind buzzard.
3. attrib. or as adj. a. Of a buzzard; resembling a buzzard’s….
1878. Tennyson, Q. Mary, I. iv. 29. His buzzard beak and deep-incavern’d eyes Half fright me.
b. Senseless, stupid, ‘blind.’
1592. Constable, Poems, v. (1859), 34. Lowe on the ground with buzzard Cupids wings.
1649. Milton, Eikon., i. Wks. (1847), 280/1. A buzzard idol.
1844. Carlyle, Misc. (1857), IV. 314. Ignorance and buzzard stupidity.
4. Comb., as buzzard-blind, -like, adjs.
1581. J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 179. Compare with this blynd Philosophy of Cicero, the Divinitie of Osorius in all respectes as bussardlyke.
1590. C. S., Right Relig., 9. Is anie man so buzzardlike, or so blockishly blind?
1619. Fletcher, M. Thomas, III. i. Do not anger me, For by this hand I’le beat the buzard blind then.
