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Origin and history of thrush

thrush(n.1)

type of songbird, especially the song-thrush or mavis, Old English þræsce, variant of þrysce, from Proto-Germanic *thruskjon (source also of Old Norse þröstr, Norwegian trost, Old High German drosca), from PIE *trozdo- (source also of Latin turdus, Lithuanian strazdas "thrush," Middle Irish truid, Welsh drudwy "starling," Old Church Slavonic drozgu, Russian drozdu). Extended to many unrelated species resembling it.

An aged thrush, frail, gaunt, and small,

In blast-beruffled plume,

Had chosen thus to fling his soul

Upon the growing gloom.

[Hardy, "The Darkling Thrush," Dec. 31, 1900]

thrush(n.2)

throat disease especially common in infants, 1660s, a word of uncertain origin, probably from a Scandinavian source (compare Norwegian, Danish trøske, Swedish torsk), but its roots and original meaning are unclear. Connection with words for "thirst" has been proposed.

also from 1660s

Entries linking to thrush

ostrich(n.)

"very large flightless bird inhabiting the sandy plains of Africa and Arabia," early 13c., also hostriche, estrich, ostrig, esterige, etc., from Old French ostruce "ostrich" (Modern French autruche) and Medieval Latin ostrica, ostrigius, all from Vulgar Latin avis struthio.

This is from Latin avis "bird" (from PIE root *awi- "bird") + Late Latin struthio "ostrich," from Greek strouthion "ostrich," from strouthos megale "big sparrow," the first word perhaps from PIE *trozdo- "thrush" (see thrush (n.1)).

The Greeks also knew the bird as strouthokamelos "camel-sparrow," for its long neck. Among its proverbial peculiarities are indiscriminate voracity (especially a habit of swallowing small bits of iron and stone to aid digestion), a supposed want of regard for its eggs (which are incubated partly by the heat of the sun), and a tendency to hide its head when pursued. Ostriches do put their heads in sand, but ostrich farmers say they do this in search of something to eat.

Like the Austridge, who hiding her little head, supposeth her great body obscured. ["Something written by occasion of that fatall and memorable accident in the Blacke Friers on Sonday, being the 26. of October 1623"]

Hence expressions cruel as an ostrich (late 14c.); foolish as an ostrich (late 15c.). From the Vulgar Latin word also come Spanish avestruz, Italian struzzo, Old English struta, German Strausz, Dutch struis, Danish struds.

For generic use of "sparrow" for "bird," compare Spanish pájaro, Romanian pasăre "bird," from Latin passer "sparrow."

sturdy(adj.)

c. 1300 (late 12c. as a surname), sturdi, "hard to manage, reckless, violent; fierce, cruel; bold, strong in fighting; stern, severe; ill-humored; disobedient, rebellious," from Old French estordi, estourdi (11c., Modern French étourdi) "violent," originally "dazed," past participle of estordir, estordiir "to daze, stun, stupefy" (Modern French étourdir), from Vulgar Latin *exturdire (source also of Spanish atordir "to stun, daze," earlier estordir), which some presume to be from Latin intensive prefix ex- (see ex-) + turdus "thrush" (see thrush (n.1)).

The usual suggestion for that proposed origin is that the image is of thrushes eating grape remnants at wineries and then acting drunk. Klein notes that Italian tordo "thrush" also means "simpleton," and French has the expression soûl comme une grive "drunk as a thrush." OED, however, regards all these as "open to grave objection." Century Dictionary compares Latin torpidus "dull" (Lewis & Short has an *ex-torpesco).

In reference to a person, the sense of "solidly built, strong and hardy" is from late 14c. Of objects (trees, walls, etc.), "strong, stout," c. 1400. In Middle English also of rough waves and raging rivers. Related: Sturdily; sturdiness. Sturdy-boots "obstinate person" is from 1762; a sturdy beggar in old language was one who lives by begging but is capable of work (c. 1400).