Forms: 6 yelambre, 7 yelamber, yellow-hamer, 7, 9 dial. -amber, 9 -ammer, dial. -ommer, -omber, -homber, 6– yellow-hammer. [In the earliest recorded form, yelambre, app. representing OE. *ʓeolo-amore = ʓeolo YELLOW + amore ‘scorellus’ (unidentified), corresp. to OHG. amero (MHG. amer, G. ammer), of which there are various cognate or derivative forms, viz. OE. omer, emer, emaer, ‘scorellus,’ OHG. amerine, MHG. gold(en)emer, G. emmerling, † emmering, emmeritze, † embritze (whence mod.L. emberiza), LG. geelemerken (dim., with geel ‘yellow’ prefixed). Besides these forms there is a type represented by OE. clodhamer (coupled with feldeware) ‘scorellus,’ of doubtful formation (? corruption of *goldhamer) and MHG. hamere, golthamere ‘amarellus.’ The origin and identity of hamer, -ere are uncertain; but connection with or assimilation to OE. -hama, OHG. -hamo covering, skin, feathers (see HAME1) seems probable, and the form YELLOW-HAM, which may go back to an OE. type *ʓeolo-hama the yellow-feathered bird, gives support to the hypothesis.
Both forms -hammer and -ammer are historically justifiable; Yarrell’s proposed rejection of -hammer (see British Birds, 1843, I. 446) is based on insufficient evidence.
The bird has many local names into which the word yellow or gold enters, viz. YOWLRING (YORLING), YOLDRING, YOWLEY, yellow bunting, yellow yite, gold spink, gold finch. Cf. (in addition to the names given above) MLG. gelegorsse, -gersse, Du. geelgors, LG. gelgans, -gôs, G. gelbling, gelbammer, goldfink, MHG. gollhans, gol(l)ammer, G. dial. golmer, Sw. gulsparf, dial. golspink, Norw. dial. gulspikke, gulsporv, gulskur, Du. guulspurv.]
1. A species of bunting, Emberiza citrinella, common in Britain and Europe generally, having the head, throat, and under parts of a bright yellow.
1556. Withals, Dict. (1562), 5/2. A yelambre, luteus, vel lutea.
1587. Harrison, England, III. ii. 223/2, in Holinshed. Washtailes, cheriecrackers, yellowhamers, felfares.
1598. Florio, Spaiarda, a birde called a yellow hammer, or yowlring.
1656. W. Du Gard, trans. Comenius’ Gate Lat. Unl., 43. The songsters, living on seeds; the Yelamber of Poppie; the Linnet, of flax.
1674. Ray, Coll. Words, Engl. Birds, 88. The Yellow-hammer, or amber, Emberiza flava, Gesn.
1763. Ann. Reg., Chron., 59. Contents of a pye lately made at Lowther-hall, in Westmoreland,… forty-six yellow-hammers.
1789. Mrs. Piozzi, Journ. France, II. 377. Flights of yellow-hammers … enliven the fields.
1855. Kingsley, Westw. Ho! xxx. These same beggarly croakers, that be only fit to be turned into yellow-hammers … and sit on a tor all day, and cry ‘Very little bit of bread, and no chee-e-ese!’
1898. F. C. Gould, in Westm. Gaz., 13 April, 2/1. Chaffinches and yellow-ammers give flashes of colour as they pass the glades.
b. U.S. The golden-winged woodpecker, Colaptes auratus.
Also locally in England, the skylark, the yellow wagtail, and the chaffinch.
1857. Thoreau, Maine W. (1894), 31. A ‘yellow-hammer,’ as they called the pigeon-woodpecker.
1874. Baird, Brewer, & Ridgway, N. Amer. Birds, II. 581. This bird [sc. Colaptes Mexicanus], in some parts of California, is known as the Yellow-Hammer, a name given in some parts of New England to the Colaptes auratus.
† 2. fig. Applied in contempt to a person, esp. a jealous husband (cf. YELLOW a. 2). Obs.
1602. Middleton, Blurt, Master-Constable, III. i. D 3 b. Heere’s a Yellow-hammer flew to me with thy water, and I cast it, and finde, that his Mistris being giuen to this newe falling-sicknesse, will cure thee.
1605. Tryall Chev., II. i. Bowyer a Captayne? a Capon,… a red beard Sprat, a Yellow-hammer, a bow case.
1620. Middleton & Rowley, Courtly Masque, D 2. Much of the complexion of high Shroue-Tuesday Batter, yallow-hammer.
1634. ? Rowley, Noble Soldier, II. i. You yellow hammer.
† 3. A gold coin. Obs. slang.
1626. Middleton, Mayor Quinb., II. i. Sym. … Now by this light a nest of Yellow Hammers!… Ile undertake, Sir, you shall have All the skins in our Parish at this price.
1633. Shirley, Bird in a Cage, II. i. Is that he that has gold enough? would I had some of his yellow hammers.
4. A nickname for a charity boy in yellow breeches.
1861. City Press, May. In Worrall’s school, founded in 1689, for poor boys born in Cripplegate, the coat is still red; the orange breeches, shoes, and hose of orange, which secured the boys the sobriquet of ‘yellow hammers’ have been discontinued.
