Crossword clues for kestrel
kestrel
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Kestrel \Kes"trel\ (k[e^]s"tr[e^]l), n. [See Castrel.] (Zo["o]l.) A small, slender European hawk ( Falco alaudarius), allied to the sparrow hawk. Its color is reddish fawn, streaked and spotted with white and black. Also called windhover and stannel. The name is also applied to other allied species.
Note: This word is often used in contempt, as of a mean kind
of hawk. ``Kites and kestrels have a resemblance with
hawks.''
--Bacon.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
kind of falcon, c.1600, earlier castrell (15c.), probably from Middle French cresserelle, which apparently is related to crecerelle "rattle," from Latin crepitacillium "small rattle," diminutive of crepitaculum "noisy bell, rattle," from crepitare "to crackle, rattle;" possibly from the old belief that their noise frightened away other hawks.
Wiktionary
n. 1 Any of various small falcons of the genus ''Falco'' that hover while hunting. 2 The common kestrel, ''Falco tinnunculus''
WordNet
n. small North American falcon [syn: sparrow hawk, American kestrel, Falco sparverius]
small Old World falcon that hovers in the air against a wind [syn: Falco tinnunculus]
Wikipedia
The Kestrel engine is an LOX/ RP-1 pressure-fed rocket engine. The Kestrel engine was developed in the 2000s by SpaceX for upper stage use on the Falcon 1 rocket.
Kestrel was built around the same pintle architecture as the Space X Merlin engine but does not have a turbo-pump and is fed only by tank pressure.
Kestrel is ablatively cooled in the chamber and throat and radiatively cooled in the nozzle, which is fabricated from a high strength niobium alloy. As a metal, niobium is highly resistant to cracking compared to carbon-carbon. According to SpaceX, an impact from orbital debris or during stage separation might dent the metal but have no meaningful effect on engine performance. Helium pressurant efficiency is substantially increased via a titanium heat exchanger on the ablative/niobium boundary.
Thrust vector control is provided by electro-mechanical actuators on the engine dome for pitch and yaw. Roll control (and attitude control during coast phases) is provided by helium cold gas thrusters.
A TEA- TEB pyrophoric ignition system is used to provide multiple restart capability on the upper stage. In a multi-manifested mission, this design would allow for drop off at different altitudes and inclinations.
The name kestrel (from French crécerelle, derivative from crécelle, i.e. ratchet) is given to several different members of the falcon genus, Falco. Kestrels are most easily distinguished by their typical hunting behaviour which is to hover at a height of around over open country and swoop down on prey, usually small mammals, lizards or large insects. Other falcons are more adapted to active hunting in flight. In addition, kestrels are notable for usually having a lot of brown in their plumage.
Kestrel (John Wraith) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Kestrel, in comics, may refer to:
- Kestrel (Marvel Comics), a test subject of the Weapon X Project
- Kestrel (DC Comics), the supervillain archenemy of Hawk and Dove
- Kestrel (Marvel UK), a member of Gene Dogs
- Kestrel, an NSA agent and short-lived foe of Black Widow.
The Kestrel was the first sailing dinghy especially designed to have a fibreglass hull.
After a slow start, due to resistance to the new material, the Kestrel grew in popularity. This success led to more and more classes changing their rules to allow fibreglass construction. Today, the class is still a popular choice, particularly for 'club' racers and training schools. The design has been updated by Phil Morrison and has most recently been built by Hartley Laminates.
Kestrel is a wide-area persistent surveillance system used on aerostats at U.S. forward operating bases in Afghanistan to monitor the surrounding areas.
The system is equipped with electro-optical and infrared cameras, providing day/night force protection and overwatch to troops.
Usage examples of "kestrel".
We have already been in contact with Duchess Kestrel and she is preparing a private house where Citrine can live with you and at least some of your companions.
Kestrel, peering into the turbid waters of the fishpond with a jaundiced eye, made no reply.
Kestrel may not be as prestigious a house as that of the Peregrine or the Gyrfalcon, but it is as old and very respected.
The representative for House Goshawk looked vaguely disappointed, but those for Peregrine, Kestrel, and Gyrfalcon were quite alert.
The graceful birds usually detected the unsuspecting susliks while soaring in the air, but the kite could also hover like a kestrel, the native falcon, or fly very low to take its prey by surprise.
There were two little merlins which had only just been taken up from hacking, an old peregrine who was not much use in this wooded country but who was kept for appearances, a kestrel on which the boys had learned the rudiments of falconry, a spar-hawk which Sir Ector was kind enough to keep for the parson, and, caged off in a special apartment of his own at the far end, there was the tiercel goshawk Cully.
Yon small bird his hymn outpouring, On the branch close by, Recks not for the kestrel soaring In the nether sky, Though the hawk with wings extended Poises over head, Motionless as though suspended By a viewless thread.
Redwings, wheatears, peewits, and airy kestrels are the people of their skies.
The second had been in Betancuria, when Terrel had been accompanied by Alyssa in the shape of a stonechat, and Lathan - after instruction from Elam - had taken the form of a kestrel.
Heavily laden with camera case and field kit, Kestrel followed Miss Woolner to the back hall.
She was an elf, with shoulder-length braided hair the color of pure gold and a round face dominated by the bluest eyes Kestrel had ever seen.
When Derian entered, he found Earl Kestrel seated on a campstool, making notes in a leather-bound book resting on a collapsible table.
In the few seconds that Kestrel watched, the injured cultist released a retributive gout of flames at Jarial.
Kestrel squinted and stared, but could not discern a steady outline-the cultist seemed to waver before her eyes.
But Kestrel knew that Robin had no intention of doing anything that would give the stallkeeper an excuse for further rudeness.