| 释义 |
▪ I. wick, n.1|wɪk|
Forms: α. 1 weoce, 3 wueke, 4–6 weke, weyke, wyke, 5–7 wike, weeke, (–9 dial.) week, 6 weyk, (weack), 6–7 weik, wieke, (6, 8 weak), 7 wiek, wieck. β. 4–7 wicke, 5 wyk, 6 wycke, 7– wick.
[OE. wéoce wk. fem., also wéoc str. fem. (in candelwéoc), corresp. to MDu. wiecke (Du. wiek), MLG. wêke, weike (LG. weke) lint (whence Sw. veke, Da. væge, Norw. dial. veik), OHG. wioh str. m. or n. ‘lucubrum’ (MHG., G. wieche wick-yarn), MG. wieke, wîke, wicke (G. wieke lint, dial. wicke). For the phonology cf. sick a.
No certain cognates are known. It has been suggested that the base is an Indo-Eur. weg-, represented by OIr. figim to weave, spin, L. vēlum veil, Skr. vâgurâ. There is no evidence for the alleged OE. wice.]
1. a. The bundle of fibre, now usually loosely twisted or woven cotton (formerly rushes, tow, flax, etc.) in a lamp, candle, or taper (formerly also in a torch), immersed or inclosed except at one end in the oil or grease, which it absorbs and draws up on being kindled at the free end, so as to maintain the flame.
αc1000in Techmer's Internat. Zeitschrift (1885) II. 126 Wæt mid þinum scytefingre on midden, swylce þu weocan settan wylle. c1200Trin. Coll. Hom. 47 On ure helendes lichame wiðuten sene, þe holie saule wiðinne unsene, and te michele wisdom on eiðer: Alse wex on þe candele sene, þe wueke wiðinnen unsene, and þe fur on boðe. 1377Langl. P. Pl. B. xvii. 204 As wex and a weke were twyned togideres. 1393Ibid. C. xx. 178 Of a torche Þe blase beo blowen out ȝut brenneþ þe weke. c1440Promp. Parv. 520/2 Weyke, of a candel, lichinius. c1450Lydg. Life Our Lady lxxxii. (1484) M ij b, The waxe bytokeneth his manhede, The weke [MS. Ashm. 39 wyke] his sowle, the fyre his godhede. c1485Digby Myst. i. 490 In yone tapir therbe thing iij⊇, wax, week and light. 1513State Papers Hen. VIII No. 4101 (P.R.O.) Item in torche weke and taper weke iiijxx v li. 1570Levins Manip. 206/45 Y⊇ Weak of a candle, lichnus. 1590Spenser F.Q. ii. x. 30 When the oyle is spent, The light goes out, and weeke is throwne away. 1604E. G[rimstone] tr. D'Acosta's Hist. Indies ii. vii. 99 In candles of tallow or waxe, if the wike be great, it melts the tallow or the waxe. 1626Bacon Sylva §370 Triall was..made of seuerall Wiekes; As of Ordinary Cotton; Sowing Thred. a1691Boyle Hist. Air (1692) 247 The Smoak that issues out of the Weik of a Candle newly blown out. 1707N. Blundell Diary (1895) 54 Mr. Plumb tryed his Lamp with two Weaks. a1728Woodward Nat. Hist. Fossils (1729) I. i. 76 A small Piece of [English talc]..serves very well for a Wiek to a Lamp. 1875Lanc. Gloss., Week..the wick of a candle or lamp.
β1393Langl. P. Pl. C. xx. 205 As þe wicke and þe warme fuyr wol make a fayr flamme. c1450Alphita (Anecd. Oxon.) 99 Licinum,..mecche uel wyk. 1555Eden Decades (Arb.) 230 The wycke or twyste of hempe. 1583Stubbes Anat. Abus. ii. (1882) 50 As for the wickes within them [sc. the candles], they are of hurds, rope ends, and such other good stuffe. 1784Cowper Task iii. 164 The little wick of life's poor shallow lamp. 1815J. Smith Panorama Sci. & Art II. 316 The candle or lamp used with the blowpipe should have a thick wick, which should be snuffed clean. 1840Thackeray Catherine iii, The candles were burning dim, with great long wicks. 1903Thurston Circle i. xv, She..raised the wick of the lamp.
b. Collectively, without article, as the name of a substance: = wicking.
1391Earl Derby's Exp. (Camden) 67 Clerico speciarie..pro wyke per ipsum empto..pro torches faciendis..xxxj s. 1404Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees) 395, vj libri de weke pro torgis. 1529Burgh Rec. Edin. (1871) 6 That thai mak thair candill..of gud and sufficient stuff baith weyk and tallone. 1571S'hampton Crt. Leet Rec. (1905) 76 The Channdelrs..doo mak their candels wth grat torch weack and yll tallowe. 1602Shakes. Ham. iv. vii. 116 (Qo. 2) There liues within the very flame of loue A kind of weeke or snufe that will abate it. 1883Century Mag. Feb. 585/2 He carried too much wick for his candle.
c. Used as a tent or dressing in surgery. (Cf. G. wieke, etc.)
1658A. Fox Würtz' Surg. i. iii. 9 Some..take grosse strong weeks, and thrust them to the bottom of the wounds. Ibid. vii. 27 Of the abuses which are committed with wicks, tents, lints, mullipuffs, &c. 1906Brit. Med. Jrnl. 13 Jan. 72 A..glass drainage tube was placed in the pelvis, another in the right loin..and gauze wicks were placed in the tubes.
d. In fig. phr. to turn the wick up (or down), to open (or close) the throttle of an engine; to accelerate (or decelerate). colloq.
1948[see throttle n. 4 b]. 1965Priestley & Wisdom Good Driving iii. 28 The gas pedal can be likened to the wick of an oil lamp. Turn it up and you get more light... Indeed it is a simile much used by motor cyclists who talk of ‘turning the wick up’ as a more graphic and descriptive way of saying ‘I accelerated’.
2. a. to get on (one's) wick, to irritate or annoy (a person); to exasperate; to get on one's nerves (nerve n. 8 e). colloq.
It is sometimes suggested that both this and the next sense derive from (Hampton) Wick, rhyming slang for prick n. 17. See Partridge and wick n.2 2.
1945Penguin New Writing XXVI. 56 Parades and bullshit get on his wick. 1958K. Amis I like it Here 32 But I wish he wouldn't think he'd got the right to knock the English. That's what really gets on my wick. 1961‘B. Wells’ Day Earth caught Fire iv. 54 ‘Strewth, these licensing laws get on your wick, don't they,’ they grumbled. 1977K. Benton Red Hen Conspiracy iii. 22 The way you talk about Pat gets on my wick. 1984B. Francis AA Car Duffer's Guide 6/2 Gets on my wick, she do.
b. to dip (one's) wick: of a man, to engage in sexual intercourse. slang.
1958J. Carew Black Midas vi. 96 ‘Come on!’ Santos bellowed. ‘If every time you dip your wick you going to fall in love, then God help you!’ Belle jumped out of bed and pulled on her dress. 1969D. Niland Dead Men Running iv. 159 When you're starved for a woman dip your wick, and the starvation's gone. 1971B. W. Aldiss Soldier Erect 111 Di asked, ‘You don't feel like a bit of a bunk-up this evening, Stubby, by any chance?’ ‘A bit of what?’ ‘Dipping your wick, man!’ 1981R. Barnard Sheer Torture xiii. 137 None of your barmaids or local peasant wenches for Pete. He's very calculating where he dips his wick.
3. attrib. and Comb., as wick-holder, wick-screw, wick-spout, wick-trimmer, wick-yarn.
1498in Compotus Rolls Obedientiaries St. Swithun's Winch. (1892) 388 In xij lb. Wekeyorne,..iij s. 1756W. Owen's Bk. Fairs (1788) 54 Bridgenorth..horned cattle, horses, sheep, hops, cheese, wick-yarn. 1840Civil Eng. & Arch. Jrnl. III. 175/2 A sudden blaze as if the wick-screw had been raised a turn. c1865J. Wylde in Circ. Sci. I. 304/1 A cap..fits over the wick-holder. 1875Knight Dict. Mech., Wick-trimmer, a shears for trimming wicks. 1911J. Ward Roman Era Brit. xii. 210 The typical Roman lamp..has..a covered wick-spout or nozzle (nasus, rostrum).
▪ II. wick, n.2 Now only local.|wɪk|
Forms: 1–3 wic, 3–4, 7 wike, 4 wik, 4–5 wyk, 4–5, 8–9 wyke, 6–7 wicke, 7 week, 7– wick.
[OE. wíc m., f. = OFris. wîk f., OS. wîc m. dwelling-place, house, MLG. wîk f., n. town, place, MDu. wijc m. district, (Du. wijk f. quarter, district, ward, WFris. wyk), OHG. wîch str. m. dwelling-place, town, MHG. wîch in wîkbilethe civic rights, wichbilde (G. weichbild) precinct and jurisdiction of a town, wîchgrave recorder; app. ad. L. vīcus row of houses, quarter of a city, street, village (cognate with Gr. οἶκος house, etc., Goth. weihs village).]
†1. An abode, dwelling, dwelling-place (in general). Obs.
Beowulf 1125 Ᵹewiton him ða wiᵹend wica neosian. c900tr. Bæda's Hist. iv. iii, Þa ᵹelomp sume dæᵹe, þæt he wæs in þæm foresprecenan wicum mid ane breðer wuniende, þæs noma wæs Owine. a1000Cædmon's Gen. 1812 Ðær ræsbora þraᵹe siððan wicum wunode & wilna breac. c1200Ormin 8512 Josæp..bærenn ure Laferrd Crist..Fra land to land, fra tun to tun, Fra wic to wic i tune. c1205Lay. 7786 In to France he wende & sette his wike. a1250Owl & Night. 604 Ich can loki monne wike & mine wike beoþ wel gode. a1300Cursor M. 2090 Asie to sem, to cham affrik, To Iaphet europ, þat wil-ful wike. c1300Harrow. Hell 177 Louerd god, ȝef vs leue,..To faren of þis loþe wyke To þe blisse of heueneryke.
2. A town, village, or hamlet. Obs. or dial. (Survives as an element of place-names in both forms, -wich and -wick, the local distribution of which presents difficulties.)
971Blickl. Hom. 77 He cwæþ: ‘Gaþ on þa wic þe beforan inc stondeð.’ c1000Ags. Gosp. Mark viii. 23 & þa æthran he þæs blindan hand & lædde hine butan þa wic. c1205Lay. 31960 His biweddede wif weore on þere ilke wike. a1300Cursor M. 7917 Þar was wonand wit-in a wike, Tua men a pouer and a rike. c1350in Rel. Ant. II. 93 The toun Off Cauntyrbery, that noble wyke.
1600Holland Livy xxxiv. xxii. 866 The rest abandoned the warre, and slipt..into their owne wickes and villages. [1885E. Law Hampton Crt. Pal. 12 note, As a popular equivalent for the word village, the expressions ‘going to the Wick’ [i.e. Hampton Wick], and ‘living at the Wick’, being constantly heard among the older inhabitants. ]
3. A farm; spec. a dairy farm. Now local.
1086Domesday Bk., Berks. 58 b, Wica de .x. pensis caseorum ualentes .xxxii. sol. & .iiii. den. 1467–8Rolls of Parlt. V. 585/1 A dayery, otherwise called a Wyk, called Dangebrigge. 1594[see dairy n. 3]. 1598Stow Surv. 171 In diuers countries, Dayrie houses or cottages, wherein they make butter and cheese, are vsually called Wickes. 1607Camden Brit. 318 Caseos ouillos conficere in casearijs illis tuguriolis quæ ibi [i.e. in Essex] Wiches [sic] vocant, vidimus. 1628Coke On Litt. 5 A fearme in the North parts is called a Tacke, in Lancashire a Fermeholt, in Essex a Wike. 1641Surv. Plesheybury Manor, Essex fol. av (MS.) Berwick quasi Berrywick, for it is supposed that auntiently it was a dairy wick or ferme to High Ester Bury. 1701Kennett Cowel's Interpr., Wica, a Country House or Farm, of which many a one is now call'd the Wike, and the Wick. a1825Forby Voc. E. Anglia, Wick... A few instances may be produced in which it means a farm. There is one at a short distance from the town of Watton, commonly called Watton-wick, but by the inhabitants, simply the Wick. 1879Jefferies Wild Life in S. Co. 126 Wick Farm—almost every village has its outlying wick—stands alone in the fields.
†4. An enclosed piece of ground, a close. local.
1301Rolls of Parlt. I. 259/2 Apud Lex[eden] in Wyka que vocatur Arnodynes Wyk. a1461Stonor Papers (Camden) I. 55 Ȝe have yn Bysschopyston the iij part of a close callyd Bondmannys Wyke, and yn on othere callyd Hanketes Wyke. 1631Terrier of Masworth Rectory (MS.) A close of pasture ground called y⊇ Parsonidge Wick. 1635Survey of Masworth Parish (MS.) The close called Three Wicks. 1680Terrier of Masworth Vicarage (MS.) One other close or wick..called Blockwicks..a wick called Pound Wick. 1811Masworth Parish Enclosure Award (MS.) An old enclosure called Meadow Wick.
†5. Comb.: wick-master, ? a mayor or burgomaster; wic-reeve, modernization of OE. wícᵹerefa, a town-reeve.
1587Fleming Contn. Holinshed III. 1337/2 Behind them went the bodie of the citie, that is to wit, the *wickemasters, the wardens, the ancient magistrate, the masters of the wardes, the boroughmasters [etc.].
1853J. Stevenson Ch. Hist. Eng. I. 233 Beornulf, *wic-reeve of Winchester.
▪ III. wick, wike, n.3 Now only dial.
Forms: 4–5, 7 wyke, 6, 8–9 wike, 7 weeke, 8– week, 9 wick, Sc. weik.
[a. ON. vik, as in munnvik (Da. mundvig) corner of the mouth; f. wī̆k- to bend (cf. week n., wick n.4, woke).]
1. A corner of the mouth or eye.
13..Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 1572 Þe froþe femed at his mouth vnfayre bi þe wykez. 13..E.E. Allit. P. B. 1690 Faxe fyltered, & felt flosed hym vmbe, Þat schad fro his schulderes to his schyre wykes. 1483Cath. Angl. 417/2 A Wyke of y⊇ eghe.., hirquus. 1570Levins Manip. 122/24 Y⊇ Wike of the eye, hirquus. 1607Markham Cavel. i. 82 To make some expert Horse farrier, to slit vp the weekes of your Horses mouth, equallie on both sides..with a sharpe raysor. 1641Best Farm. Bks. (Surtees) 14 A greate parte of theire meat, whiles that they are chewinge of it, workes forth of the wykes of their mouthe. 1709M. Bruce Soul-Confirm. 18 (Jam.) We will let them ken that we will hing by the wicks of the mouth for the least point of truth. 1721W. Gibson Dieting Horses viii. (1726) 128 If the Bit be too long or too short, it will injure the Horse's Mouth, and cut his Weeks. c1730Ramsay Fables xviii. 14 To weed out ilka sable hair..Frae crown of head to weeks of mouth. 1787Grose Prov. Gloss., Wikes or Wikers (of the mouth), corners of the mouth. a1835Hogg Tales, Hunt of Eildon (1837) III. 14 [He] now and then cast a sly look-out at the wick of his eye.
2. In full wick-tooth: see quot. 1726.
1726A. Monro Anat. Bones 171 The Two inferior [Canini] are named angular or Wike-teeth, because they support the Angles of the Mouth. 1759H. Walpole Let. to Earl of Strafford 13 Sept., This noble summer is not yet over with us—it seems to have cut a colt's week [cf. colt n. 8 b].
Hence ˈwicking (wyking), corner of the mouth.
1604Mem. in N. & Q. 3rd Ser. III. 445/2 Her eyes stod in the wykinges of her mouth. 1886S.-W. Linc. Gloss., Weekin, s., the corner of the mouth.
▪ IV. wick, n.4 Sc. and dial.
Forms: 7 weeke, 8 wike, 9 wick, wik, wyck, wyke.
[a. ON. vík fem. (occurring in place-names, but not usually distinguishable in form from wick n.2), whence app. also MLG. wîk (LG. wiek, wicke), MDu. wijck, Fris. wik bay; f. OTeut. wī̆k- to bend, as if = a bend.]
A creek, inlet, or small bay.
[1610Camden Brit. i. 326 From hence the Tamis goeth to Green-wich, that is, the Green Creeke, for the creeke of a river in the old English tongue was called Wic, a place in times past famous for the Danish Fleet that lay there often at Rode.] 1664–5Patent Roll 16 Chas. II, Pt. 8 (MS.) (Charter of the Royal Fishing Company) The greate Plentie of Fish wherewith the Seas Estuaries or Inletts Creekes Armes of the Sea Publick Rivers Weekes and Lakes of Our Dominions..doe abound. 1753Scots Mag. Aug. 417/1 We have as many [herrings] come into our wike as would fill 300 barrels. 1821Scott Pirate xix, By beach and by cave,—..By air and by wick. 1846Brockett N.C. Gloss. (ed. 3), Wik, Wyck, or Wyke, a crook or corner, as in a river or the sea shore. 1878R. Dick Geol. & Bot. viii. 85 Between this and Rough Head is a wick or bay.
▪ V. wick, n.5 Sc. Curling and Bowls.
[f. wick v.2]
1. An act of wicking: see wick v.2, and cf. inwick n.
1823J. Kennedy Poems 29 (E.D.D.). 1842Chambers's Inform. People No. 84. 539 A player stepping aside to take a brittle (or wick), or other shot, shall forfeit his stone for that end.
2. = port n.3 3 b.
1824[see inwick v.].
▪ VI. wick, n.6 ? dial.
[Related to wicker.]
Wicker; a wicker basket or creel.
1802C. James Milit. Dict. s.v. Calote, Calotes are usually made of iron, wick, or dressed leather. 1821Clare Vill. Minstrel II. 102 A captive fish still fills the anxious eyes, And willow-wicks lie ready for the prize.
▪ VII. wick, a.1 Obs. exc. dial.
Forms: [2 wicci], 3–5 wicke, wikke, wik, 4 wic, wyc, 4–5 wycke, wykke, wyk, 5 wyke, (wekke), 4–5, 8–9 dial. wick.
[orig. wicke, wikke, app. adj. use of OE. wicca wizard (of which the fem. is wicce witch); but perhaps an alteration of early ME. wicci (?:—*wicciᵹ, f. wicca), of which the following is the only known instance:—
1154O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1140 Þe king him sithen nam in Hamtun þurhc wicci ræd.]
1. = wicked a.1 1 a, b.
c1200Ormin 6185 Ȝiff þatt iss þatt ȝho iss all wittlæs, & wac, & wicke. c1220Bestiary 593 He speken god⁓cunhede, and wikke is here dede. c1290S. Eng. Leg. I. 203/119 Þe feondes luþere and wicke. c1325Metr. Hom. 28 Thair wike dedes. Ibid. 51 Sin and wik dedis. 13..Cursor M. 2777 (Gött.) Þe foule feluns wid wic entent. c1386Chaucer Pars. T. ⁋355 (Egerton 2726), The fende seith I woll chace and pursue man by wyk suggestion. c1460Towneley Myst. xxi. 262 Was ther neuer man so wyk bot he myght amende. a1500Hist. K. Boccus & Sydracke (? 1510) I j, A..sowle synful and wycke Is also blacke as eny pycke.
1901Sutcliffe Mistr. Barbara Cunliffe i, She's just her maister ower again—same wick' look o' th' devil about her.
2. a. = wicked a.1 2 a, b, c.
a1225Ancr. R. 104 (MS. T.) Of swati hattre oðer of wikke air. a1300Cursor M. 27877 O glotori and o drunkenhede Fele wick branches se we sprede. 1340–70Alex. & Dind. 537 Tricerberus þe helle-hound..Boþe wakrong & wikke. a1350S. Stephen 421 in Horstm. Altengl. Leg. (1881) 33 Þai raysed þe wynd with weders wik. c1374Chaucer Troylus i. 946 For þilke ground þat bereth þe wedys wykke Bereth eke þese holsome herbes. c1374― Boeth. iii. met. i. (1868) 64 Hony is þe more swete yif mouþes han firste tastid sauoures þat ben wikke. c1380Sir Ferumb. 4721 In helle habbe he pynes wycke. c1385Chaucer L.G.W. 1242 Dido (Gg. 4. 27) The wikke fame a-ros..How Enias hath with the queen I-gon. c1386― Knt.'s T. 229 Som wikke aspect or disposicioun Of Saturne. c1400Laud Troy Bk. 15306 That he be sclayn..That he no wyse passe quyk, For that were then to vs ful wik. Ibid. 15733 The fyght was sterne and wyk. c1440Pallad. on Husb. i. 973 Al the lond that thou hast goon aboute Fro cloudis wicke is saaf. a1450Le Morte Arth. 3365 Arthur of batayle neuyr blanne To dele woundys wykke and wyde. 1756in N. & Q. 12th Ser. XI. 390/2 For the warding off of all things whatsoever from the dead—be they imps, wraithspells, wick things & the like ket.
†b. = wicked a.1 2 d; in quot. 1297, feeble, lacking in force. Also as the equivalent of a negative prefix = un-, dis- (e.g. wiklose = dispraise). Obs.
c1200Ormin 16515 Jesu Crist wel unnderrstod all þeȝȝre wicke trowwþe. a1225Ancr. R. 358 Nis he a kang [MS. T wicke] knit þet secheð reste iðe uihte? c1250Hymn in Trin. Coll. Hom. App. 259 Wicke is here ure fare & ure wuniȝinge. 1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 4228 Þe scolle [was so] hard & þikke, Þeruore, þei it ne come noȝt þoru, þe dunt nas noȝt wikke. c1300Havelok 2457 With poure mete, and feble drink, And with swiþe wikke cloþes. a1340Hampole Psalter lxvii. 33 And swa it bifalles þat þai out close þaim fra þaire wiklose þat ere proued in syluere [L. ut excludant eos, qui probati sunt argento]. c1398Chaucer Fortune 55 Wikke appetyt comth ay before sykenesse. c1400Leg. Rood (1871) 153 My wonynge is wel wykke. a1500Hist. K. Boccus & Sydracke (? 1510) Q ij b, As foly among wys⁓men is wyke Wysdome among folys is lyke.
†c. = wicked a.1 2 f. Obs.
c1320Sir Tristr. 775 Morgan is wick to slow. 1340–70Alex. & Dind. 938 Þanne wol he [sc. man]..wexe wilde of his wil & wikke to staunche.
†3. absol. or as n.
a. = wicked a.1 4 a, b.
1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 4650 So þat here nas noȝt bileued bote heþene & wikke. a1300Cursor M. 2752 It semes not to be þi will For þe wik þe dughti spill. Ibid. 8631 ‘Þou wik,’ sco said, ‘ai be þe waa, Qui has þou me bi-suiken sua?’ c1375Sc. Leg. Saints ii. (Paulus) 177 Ger do þis wik away, And hed hym but mare delay. 1390Gower Conf. II. 325 O werste of alle wicke..lo, what thou hast do!
†b. In abstract sense: Evil, ill; wickedness.
c1330R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 2432 Fro wycke vntil wors y nam. c1374Chaucer Troylus iii. 1074 Now is wykke I-turned vn-to worse. 1393Langl. P. Pl. C. xii. 272 No wyght Wot ho is worthi for wele oþer for wicke. 1447O. Bokenham Seyntys (Roxb.) 85 Lyk smal infauntys wych kun no wykke.
†4. as adv. = wicked a.1 5. Obs.
c1330R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 10004 For..ageyns þer lord do so wyk. c1380Sir Ferumb. 882 Þan laid he on þe Sarsyns wykke. 1393Langl. P. Pl. C. xvii. 177 At my lykynge chese, To do wel oþer wikke.
Hence † wickdom, † wickhede, † wickness, wickedness, iniquity; † wickly adv., wickedly.
c1440R. Glouc. Chron. (Rolls) 2390 Princes oueral..Speke him vuel & hated him vor is suikedom [MS. δ *wyckedome]. Ibid. 4822, 7278.
c130511,000 Virg. 34 in E.E.P. (1862) 66 To cheose þe ten maidenes wiþoute enie *wikhede.
1338R. Brunne Chron. (1725) 124 Tresore *wikly wonnen.
a1300E.E. Psalter v. 7 [6] Þou hated al þat wirkes *wiknesse. 1382Wyclif Prov. v. 22 His wickenesses taken the vnpitouse.
▪ VIII. wick, a.2
Also whick.
North. var. of quick a.
c1760W. Hutton Dialogue in Vulg. Lang. Storth & Arnside (c 1900) 4 Was It whick, says Ta? 1790[see quick a. 2]. 1848Mrs. Gaskell Mary Barton I. viii. 127 In th' Infirmary..there be good chaps there to a man, while he's wick, whate'er they may be about cutting him up at after. 1879–Whick [see Eng. Dial. Dict.]. 1911F. H. Burnett Secret Garden xi. 105 ‘It's as wick as you or me,’ he said;..Martha had told her that ‘wick’ meant ‘alive’ or ‘lively’. 1970‘J. Herriot’ If only they could Talk ix. 69 This 'oss is as wick as an eel. 1972Observer 23 Apr. 23/4 Knott is, to use a Yorkshire expression, ‘wick’, but wick cricketers are rare these days. 1978Lancashire Life Oct. 99/1 Granny Martha Mosscropp, approaching her century and as wick as a flea, had known in girlhood the enclosed life of Victorian Ramstwistle.
▪ IX. † wick, wike, v.1 Obs.
Forms: 1 wician, wikian, 3 wikie(n, 3–4 wick, 4 wike, wyk.
[OE. wícian, f. wíc wick n.2]
intr. To take up one's abode; to encamp; to lodge, dwell.
c897ælfred Gregory's Past. C. xli. 304 Ðu cans eal ðis westen, & wasð hwær we wician [L. castra ponere] maᵹon. a1000Colloq. ælfric in Wr.-Wülcker 99 Eallum us leofre ys wikian [L. hospitari] mid þe yrþlincge þonne mid þe. c1205Lay. 18102 Wikien ȝe scullen here. a1300Cursor M. 25232 Þat in þis wreche werld we wike.
b. trans. To pitch (a tent).
c1330R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 12512 His pauilons, his penceles, þykke Nought fer fro þenne had þey don wyk.
Hence † wicking vbl. n.1, lodging, dwelling.
c1205Lay. 30453 He underfeng Cadwadlan:..and ȝaf him wickinge [c 1275 wikeninge] ȝeond Irlonde. Ibid. 31861 He..nom þe wickinge mid Alaine þan kinge.
▪ X. wick, v.2 Curling.
[Origin unknown.]
a. intr. = inwick v.
b. trans. in phr. to wick a bore, ‘to drive a stone dexterously through an opening between two guards’ (Jam.). Cf. wick n.5 Hence ˈwicking vbl. n.2
1786[see guard v. 9]. 1811Acc. Game Curling 9 It then becomes necessary..to strike another stone lying at the side, in an oblique direction. This is called wicking. Ibid. 10 Whether they have to draw, strike, wick, or enter a port, they will seldom deviate an inch from their aim. 1831[see inringing]. 1898[see inwick v.].
▪ XI. wick
Sc. and north. f. quick n.2, v.3; obs. and dial. f. week.
▪ XII. wick, v.3
Brit. |wɪk|, U.S. |wɪk|
[‹ wick n.1]
1. intr. Of a liquid: to migrate by capillary action, esp. through an absorbent textile. Freq. with up.
1952Amer. Dyestuff Reporter 41 68/2 A pair of Dacron trousers can be laundered with no loss of crease. However, if one wears them in the rain, every impinging raindrop wicks right through to the skin. 1979Oil & Gas Jrnl. 21 May 66 A row of foam-glass blocks was placed around the base of the tanks to prevent ground moisture from ‘wicking up’ into the spun-glass insulation. 1992New Scientist 15 Feb. 28/2 A drop of the blood or urine sample is placed at the top of the filter paper, and the bottom dipped in water. The water wicks up, reconstitutes the chemicals and delivers them to the sample. 2005Times Union (Albany, N.Y.) (Nexis) 17 Nov. c7 There are many new, high-tech fabrics on the market, like polypropylene, that will allow sweat to wick away from the skin.
2. trans. Of a material, esp. a textile: to absorb or draw off (liquid) through capillary action. Also intr.
1953Textile Res. Jrnl. 23 539/2 The all-wool controls and the blends containing only 15% synthetic show high resistance to wetting and wick the slowest. 1965New Scientist 11 Mar. 632/3 The maximum height which water can be ‘wicked’ is 60ft. 1979Chem. Week 7 Feb. 25 They impart absorbency, wicking moisture away from the body. 1987Footloose Apr. 39/1 The pile on the inside wicks moisture very quickly off the skin so keeping the wearer warm and dry. 2000What Mountain Bike Winter 128/1 The Microsensor fabric wicks really well and stretches to fit whatever skull shape you have without affecting helmet fit. |