Kestrel
. A hawk of a base breed, hence a worthless fellow. Also used as an adjective.
“No thought of honour ever did assay
His baser brest; but in his kestrell kynd
A pleasant veine of glory he did find …”
· 
· 
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Entry taken from
Dictionary of Phrase and Fable,
edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.