Now dial. Also 5 thruschyl, thrusshill, 9 thrishell (Devon). [A derivative of THRUSH sb.1, prob. dim.; cf. OHG. drôscala, dim. of drôsca, MHG. drôschele, dial. droschel, druschel, drouschel. Dialectally these forms tend to fall together with variants of THROSTLE and Ger. drossel.] A name, now local, of the thrush or song-thrush.
c. 1430. Lydg., Thruschylcok [see THROSTLE-COCK]
1499. Promp. Parv. (ed. Pynson), Thrusshill or thrustyll, merula.
1881. Miss Jackson, Shropsh. Wordbk., 441. Thrushel, same as Throstle: Bridgnorth.
1885. Swainson, Prov. Names Birds, 3. (Song Thrush) Thrusher (Berks and Bucks), Dirsh (Somerset), Thrushfield (Salop), Thrushel or Thrustle (Salop), Thirstle (Devon, Cornwall, Salop).
