Crow-bill. World English Historical Dictionary

Crow-bill. World English Historical Dictionary Dictionary Biographies Literary Criticism Welcome Terms of Service ⧏ Previous Next ⧐ Contents Slice Contents Key Bibliographic Record Murray’s New English Dictionary. 1893, rev. 2025. Crow-bill

† 1.  A plant. Obs.

1

14[?].  Gl. Sloane, 5, in Sax. Leechd., III. 320/2. Crowe pil, acus muscata minor.

2

1847–78.  Halliwell, Crouwepil, the herb crane-bill.

3

  2.  Surg. (Also Crow’s bill.) A forceps for extracting bullets or other foreign bodies from wounds.

4

1611.  Cotgr., Bec de corbin … a Chirurgions toole, called a Crowes-bill.

5

1634.  T. Johnson, Parey’s Chirurg., 440. Plucke it out with your crane or crowes bill.

6

1688.  R. Holme, Armoury, III. 400/2. Another Instrument of a Chyrurgion, termed a Crow-Bill.

7

1880.  Browning, Dram. Idylls, Pietro. But who wields the crozier down may fling the crow-bill.

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