pismire

English

Etymology

From Middle English pissemyre, equivalent to piss + mire (“ant”). So called due to the smell of anthills. Compare English pissant, Old Frisian pisimme, Dutch pismiere.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpɪsmaɪə(ɹ)/

Noun

pismire (plural pismires)

1. (UK, Ireland, archaic) An ant.
   • c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]:

     Why looke you, I am whipt and ſcourg'd with rods,
     Netled, and ſtung with piſmires, when I heare
     Of this vile polititian, Bullingbrooke,

   • 1658, Sir Thomas Browne, The Garden of Cyrus, Folio Society, published 2007, page 189:

     Much there is not of wonder in the confused Houses of Pismires, though much in their busie life and actions […]

   • 1993, Anthony Burgess, A Dead Man in Deptford:

     We are scurrying emmets or pismires with our sad little comedies.

Translations

ant — see ant

Anagrams

• impires, simpier

Middle English

Noun

pismire

1. Alternative form of pissemyre