Forms: α. 5 tercelle, -sell(e, 5–7 -cell, -sel, 6–8 -sal (7 terssell), 4– tercel. β. 5–7 tarcel(l, -sell, 6 -sall, 7–8 -sel, 8 -cel. γ. 5–7 tassell, 6–9 tassel (7- il(l, 6 tossell). δ. 6 tyercelle, 7 -cell, 7– tiercel. [a. OF. tercel (a. 1200 in Godef.), beside terçuel (12–13th c.), also tresuel, tercieul, = Pr. tersol, tresol, Sp. terzuelo, It. terz(u)olo:—pop. L. tertiolus (13th c. in Du Cange), dim. from L. tertius third: cf. L. fīlius, dim. fīliolus, It. figliuolo, F. filleul. With the tar- forms, cf. bark, barn, clerk, etc.; the γ-forms confuse tarsel and tassel; the δ-forms are influenced by mod.F.]
The male of any kind of hawk; in Falconry esp. of the peregrine falcon (TERCEL-GENTLE) and the goshawk. Tercel jerkin [JERKIN2]: see quot. 1623.
Said by some to have been so called as being one-third smaller than the female bird, by others because a third egg in a nest was believed to be smaller and to produce a male bird: cf. quot. s.v. TERCELLENE.
α. c. 1381. (MSS. 1430–) Chaucer, Parl. Foules, 405. And therwithal the tersel [v.rr. tarsell, tercel, tersell] gan she calle.
14[?]. Nom., in Wr.-Wülcker, 701/28. Hic tercellus, a tercelle.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, A iij. If she be a Goshawke or Tercell that shall be reclaymed euer fede hym with washe meete at the drawyng.
1615. Boyle, in Lismore Papers (1886), I. 78. I sent a Tercell of a goshawk to my cozen.
1623. Cockeram, III. s.v. Hawks, A Gerfalcon, the male is called the Tercell Ierkin thereof.
1834. R. Mudie, Brit. Birds (1841), I. 86. The falcon always means the female, and the male is called the tercel.
1842. Browning, Count Gismond, xxi. And have you brought my tercel back?
† β. 14[?]. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 615/24. Tardarius, a tarcel.
a. 1500. Chaucer’s Parl. Foules, 415 (MS. R. 3. 19, Trin. C.C.). Thys Royall Tarcell spake and taryed nought.
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, xxxiii. 81. The tarsall gaif him tug for tug.
c. 1640. J. Smyth, Lives Berkeleys (1883), I. 303. The falcons, tarsells, and other hawkes.
c. 1704. Prior, Henry & Emma, 110. When Emma hawks: With her of tarsels and of lures he talks.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1862), II. II. i. 30. The male is called by falconers a tarcel; that is, a tierce or third less than the other [the female].
† γ. 1495. Act 11 Hen. VII., c. 17 § 3. Any Hawke of the brede of Englond callid Nyesse, gossehauke, tassell,… or fawcon.
1545. Rates of Customs, b iv. Goshaukes the pece xiii.s. iiii.d. The tassell vi.s. viii.d.
1635. Swan, Spec. M. (1670), 355. The Tassel of the Saker is called a Hobbie, or Mongrel Hawk.
1727. Bradley’s Fam. Dict., s.v. Hawk, The Male of an Eyess, is an Eyess-Tassel,… and of a Haggard, the Haggard-Tassel.
δ. 1575. Turberv., Falconrie, 3. All these kynde of hawkes haue their Tyercelles, whiche are the male byrdes and cockes.
1658. Phillips, Tiercel,… the same as Tassel [1678 adds] and Tercel.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, II. 236/1. A Tyerclet, or Tyercell of a Goshawk.
1865. Cornh. Mag., May, 625. Tiercels are better than falcons for magpie-hawking as they are unquestionably quicker amongst hedgerows, and can turn in a smaller compass.
b. fig. Applied to a person.
a. 1585. Montgomerie, Flyting, 90. Foule … tersell of a taide!
1611. Chapman, May Day Plays, 1873, II. 355. Whose foole are you? are not you the tassell of a Gander?
1856. Boker, Leonor de Guzman, I. ii. The ragged tercel that takes all our wealth.
