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Webster 1913 Edition

Mizzle

Miz′zle

,
Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Mizzled
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Mizzling
.]
[See
Misle
, and cf.
Mistle
.]
1.
To rain in very fine drops; to drizzle.
Spenser.
2.
To take one’s self off; to go.
[Slang]
As long as George the Fourth could reign, he reigned,
And then he
mizzled
.
Epigram, quoted by Wright.

Miz′zle

,
Noun.
Mist; fine rain.

Webster 1828 Edition

Mizzle

MIZ'ZLE

,
Verb.
I.
To mistle. [See Mistle.]

Definition 2024

mizzle

mizzle

English

Verb

mizzle ‎(third-person singular simple present mizzles, present participle mizzling, simple past and past participle mizzled)

  1. (intransitive, now regional, Britain, Canada, US) To rain in very fine drops.
Synonyms
  • (rain in very fine drops): drizzle
Translations

Noun

mizzle ‎(uncountable)

  1. misty rain or drizzle
Translations

See also

Etymology 2

Unknown. Perhaps from Shelta mi(e)sli ‎(“go”).[1][2]

Verb

mizzle ‎(third-person singular simple present mizzles, present participle mizzling, simple past and past participle mizzled)

  1. (chiefly Britain) To abscond, scram, flee.
    • 19th c. Epigram quoted by Thomas Wright (1810 - 1877), reproduced in Webster 1902-1913:
      As long as George IV could reign, he reigned, and then he mizzled.
    • 1850, Charles Dickens, David Copperfield
      “Now you may mizzle, Jemmy (as we say at Court), and if Mr. Copperfield will take the chair I’ll operate on him.”
    • 1986, Joan Aiken, Dido and Pa
      “Now you better mizzle,” Dido told him. “Get back to your own quarters, fast.”

References

  1. ↑ An Etymological Dictionary of Modern English (ISBN 0486122867)
  2. ↑ Oxford Dictionary of Modern Slang (ISBN 0199232059)

Etymology

From Middle English misellen ‎(“to drizzle”). Cognate with Low German musseln ‎(“to mizzle”), Dutch miezelen ‎(“to drizzle, rain gently”). Of obscure origin, but apparently related to Middle Low German mes ‎(“urine”), Middle Dutch mes, mis ‎(“urine”), both from Old Saxon mehs ‎(“urine”), from Proto-Germanic *mihstuz, *mihstaz, *mihsk- ‎(“urine”), from Proto-Germanic *mīganą ‎(“to urinate”), from Proto-Indo-European *meiǵʰ-, *omeiǵʰ- ‎(“to urinate”). Compare also English micturate ‎(“to urinate”), Old Frisian mese ‎(“urine”), Low German miegen ‎(“to urinate”), Dutch mijgen ‎(“to urinate”), Danish mige ‎(“to urinate”).

Pronunciation

  • (UK, US) IPA(key): /ˈmɪz.əl/, /ˈmɪz.l̩/
  • Rhymes: -ɪzəl

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