merlin
pronunciation
How to pronounce merlin in British English:
UK [ˈmɜ:lɪn]
How to pronounce merlin in American English:
US [ˈmɜrlɪn]
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- Noun:
- small falcon of Europe and America having dark plumage with black-barred tail; used in falconry
Word Origin
- merlin (n.)
- small, strong European falcon, early 14c., from Anglo-French merilun, a shortened form of Old French esmerillon "merlin, small hawk" (12c., Modern French émerillon), from Frankish *smiril or some other Germanic source (compare Old High German smerlo, German Schmerl "merlin"). Spanish esmerejon, Italian smeriglio also are Germanic loan-words.
- Merlin
- sorcerer and soothsayer in Arthurian legends, from Old French form of Welsh Myrddhin, probably from Old Celtic *Mori-dunon, literally "of the sea-hill," from *mori "sea" (see mere (n.)) + dunom "hill" (see dune).
Example
- 1. There was another party to project merlin the uk government but its power proved limited .
- 2. So if project merlin is unlikely to defuse public anger , will it manage to head off government action ?
- 3. But few believe the targets laid out in project merlin will be reached , with one banker describing the idea as " completely barking mad " .
- 4. Despite an outcry from austria 's populist politicians and the local media , merlin and blackstone have not said anything about their plans for the ferris wheel .
- 5. The so-called project merlin agreement between the big uk banks was centred on government lending targets , but it also bound the banks into several other do-good projects that are more ambitious in their scope than standard government-sponsored financing initiatives .