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The Collaborative International Dictionary
sheldrake

Goosander \Goos"an`der\, n. [OE. gossander, a tautological word formed fr. goose + gander. Cf. Merganser.] (Zo["o]l.) A species of merganser ( M. merganser) of Northern Europe and America; -- called also merganser, dundiver, sawbill, sawneb, shelduck, and sheldrake. See Merganser.

sheldrake

Merganser \Mer*gan"ser\, n. [Sp. merg['a]nsar, fr. mergo a diver (L. mergus, fr. mergere to dip, dive) + ['a]nsar goose, L. anser.] (Zo["o]l.) Any bird of the genus Mergus ( Merganser), and allied genera of the subfamily Merginae. They are allied to the ducks, but have a sharply serrated bill, eat fish, and dive for food. Also called fish duck.

Note: The red-breasted merganser ( Merganser serrator) inhabits both hemispheres. It is called also sawbill, harle, and sheldrake. The American merganser ( Merganser Americanus.) and the hooded merganser ( Lophodytes cucullatus) are well-known species.

White merganser, the smew or white nun.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
sheldrake

early 14c., from sheld- "variegated" + drake "male duck." First element cognate with Middle Dutch schillede "separated, variegated," West Flemish schilde, from schillen (Dutch verschillen "to make different"), from Proto-Germanic *skeli-, from PIE root *(s)kel- (1) "to cut" (see scale (n.1)). This is the origin considered most likely, though English sheld by itself is a dialect word attested only from c.1500. OED finds derivation from shield (n.), on resemblance to the patterns on shields, "improbable."

Wiktionary
sheldrake

n. 1 An Old World duck of the genus ''Tadorna''. 2 A merganser. 3 A male shelduck.

WordNet
sheldrake
  1. n. large crested fish-eating diving duck having a slender hooked bill with serrated edges [syn: merganser, fish duck, sawbill]

  2. Old World gooselike duck slightly larger than a mallard with variegated mostly black-and-white plumage and a red bill

Wikipedia
Sheldrake

Sheldrake or Shelldrake may refer to:

Usage examples of "sheldrake".

Ring up the Savoy and see if the unmentionable Sheldrake is still there.

Neither it nor the Atlantic Airways would probably have come into existence but for Cecilia Sheldrake, who, having been forestalled in her desire to be the first woman to fly the Atlantic, had determined that at least most of the others who did so should do it by her permission.

Reginald had been driven to a rather hasty demonstration, which, in its turn, startled Sheldrake so greatly as seriously to endanger the negotiations.

On his side Sheldrake said nothing of his intention to communicate the mystery at least to his wife, nor of his anxiety to procure, if he anyhow could, the other existing examples of it.

Equally satisfied, equally unsatisfied, they parted, and while Reginald went first to his office and then to Brighton, Sheldrake went straight by car to Rivington Court.

Doncaster was next to Sheldrake, and a little apart were Professor Palliser and Sir Giles Tumulty.

But his impatience Prevented a good deal of time being lost in an international wrangle, since neither Birlesmere nor Sheldrake wished more Types to exist than could be helped, while Tumulty was entirely reckless.

And Sir Giles had been left with Sheldrake at the Foreign Office when the rest of them were turned out.

Peter Sheldrake lounged with languid ease in the leather chair and eyed Graystone over his glass of port.

Peter Sheldrake dropped into the chair across from Harry and continued to mutter darkly as he reached for the bottle.

The task would give Peter Sheldrake something more useful to do than play at being Scruggs the butler.

Do you know, if it were not for Peter Sheldrake, I should find myself quite bored.

She turned slowly around and saw Harry and Peter Sheldrake standing less than five feet away from her.

I have decided to accompany Sheldrake back to London in the morning and I wanted to let you know tonight.

Do you believe me when I tell you that Sheldrake does not know the source of the poem?