stickitadj.
/ˈstɪkɪt/, U.S. /ˈstɪkᵻt/, Scottish English /ˈstɪkɪt/, /ˈstikɪt/ Scottish.
1. Modifying a noun denoting a calling or profession: designating a person who has been unsuccessful in the specified calling or profession; failed. Cf. stuck adj.2 2.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > failure or lack of success > [adjective] > specifically of persons > in profession
stickit?1750
?1750 D. Graham Hist. John Cheap (title page) An Account of the Merry Exploits done by Him and his Fellow Traveller, Drowthy Tom, a sticked [1782 sticket] Shaver.
1815 W. Scott Guy Mannering I. ii. 29 Upon his first attempt, he became totally incapable of proceeding in his intended discourse,..and was ever after designated as a ‘stickit minister’.
1837 J. Hogg Tales & Sketches III. 62 ‘I canna get her keepit a minute’, said Geordie, ‘for that stickit shopkeeper’.
1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb ix. 70 Sandy disappointed the hopes of his friends by changing his mind, and turning out a kind of ‘sticket doctor’.
1893 S. R. Crockett (title) The stickit minister.
1903 A. G. Chater tr. G. Augustin-Thierry Plot of Placards iii. ii. 226 This failure, this ‘stickit’ warrior,..could produce neither wounds nor campaigns in his favour.
1927 G. Bain Dauvid Main 13 Had it been the minister or an elder, or even a lawvier, but a stickit schoolmaster.
1997 Herald (Glasgow) (Nexis) 4 Dec. 12 Freddy..is a stickit cop who hangs out with New York's finest in the local bar and longs to be one of them.
2. Of an undertaking, outcome, product, etc.: imperfect, bungled; unfinished.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > completing > non-completion > [adjective]
incompletec1380
rudea1387
imperfecta1398
occasionala1398
unperfecta1398
unperfecteda1513
uncompleted1513
imperfected1552
unfinished1553
unconsummate1609
half-baked1627
illaborate1631
inconsummatea1641
uncrowned1743
stickit1784
unconsummated1813
incompleted1836
behindhand1853
the world > action or operation > ability > inability > unskilfulness > [adjective] > unskilled in art or craft > unskilfully made or done
unslya1300
misframeda1450
mismadec1480
ill-fashioned1600
bungled1619
ill-turneda1637
blunderly1746
stickit1784
wall-eyed1847
craftless1905
jack-legged1907
jackleg1936
1784 Four Excellent New Songs (title page) Wattie and Jenny's sticket Wedding.
1787 W. Taylor Scots Poems 60 Dad forc't her to marry Rob, Whilk surely maks a stickit job.
1819 W. Scott Bride of Lammermoor viii, in Tales of my Landlord 3rd Ser. III. 114 But I'll uphaud it for nae stickit job.
1826 Edinb. Mag. & Literary Misc. May 569/2 Scotch lawyers do not require to be told how much this was a ‘sticked taillie’, or, Anglicé, a blundered deed of Entail.
1880 Glasgow Herald 14 Feb. 3/1 The ‘stickit’ railroad that is crossed by the car route.
1965 Perthshire Advertiser 29 May 14 ‘Sticket’ tapestries and seldom-lifted embroideries.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2017; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.?1750