mizzle
English
Pronunciation
- (UK, US) IPA(key): /ˈmɪz.əl/, /ˈmɪz.l̩/
- Rhymes: -ɪzəl
Etymology 1
From Middle English misellen (“to drizzle”). Cognate with Low German musseln (“to mizzle”), Dutch miezelen (“to drizzle, rain gently”). Of obscure origin, but apparently related to Middle Low German mes (“urine”), Middle Dutch mes, mis (“urine”), both from Old Saxon mehs (“urine”), from Proto-Germanic *mihstuz, *mihstaz, *mihsk- (“urine”), from Proto-Germanic *mīganą (“to urinate”), from Proto-Indo-European *meiǵʰ-, *omeiǵʰ- (“to urinate”). Compare also English micturate (“to urinate”), Old Frisian mese (“urine”), Low German miegen (“to urinate”), Dutch mijgen (“to urinate”), Danish mige (“to urinate”).
Verb
mizzle (third-person singular simple present mizzles, present participle mizzling, simple past and past participle mizzled)
- (intransitive, now regional, Britain, Canada, US) To rain in very fine drops.
Synonyms
- (rain in very fine drops): drizzle
Translations
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Noun
mizzle (uncountable)
- misty rain or drizzle
Translations
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See also
- mizzly
Etymology 2
Unknown. Perhaps from Shelta mi(e)sli (“go”).[1][2]
Verb
mizzle (third-person singular simple present mizzles, present participle mizzling, simple past and past participle mizzled)
- (chiefly Britain) To abscond, scram, flee.
- 19th c. Epigram quoted by Thomas Wright (1810 - 1877), reproduced in Webster 1902-1913:
- As long as George IV could reign, he reigned, and then he mizzled.
- 1850, Charles Dickens, David Copperfield
- “Now you may mizzle, Jemmy (as we say at Court), and if Mr. Copperfield will take the chair I’ll operate on him.”
- 1986, Joan Aiken, Dido and Pa
- “Now you better mizzle,” Dido told him. “Get back to your own quarters, fast.”
- 19th c. Epigram quoted by Thomas Wright (1810 - 1877), reproduced in Webster 1902-1913:
References
- An Etymological Dictionary of Modern English →ISBN
- Oxford Dictionary of Modern Slang →ISBN