sic
1 of 3adverb
ˈsik 
ˈsēk
ˈsēk : intentionally so written —used after a printed word or passage to indicate that it is intended exactly as printed or to indicate that it exactly reproduces an original
said he seed [sic] it all
sic
2 of 3verb
ˈsik
variants or less commonly sick
sicced also sicked ˈsikt ; siccing also sicking
; siccing also sicking transitive verb
1
: chase, attack —usually used as a command especially to a dog
sic 'em
2
: to incite or urge to an attack, pursuit, or harassment : set
sicced their lawyers on me
sic
3 of 3 ˈsik
chiefly Scottish variant of such
Did you know?
The adverb sic, usually enclosed in brackets, is a word editors use in the reproduction of someone else's speech or writing to indicate that an unexpected form exactly reproduces the original and is not a copier's mistake. Sic comes from Latin, in which it means "so" or "thus." Though it's a useful tool, some usage commentators feel it is bad manners to use a sic to needlessly call attention to someone's error or to deride the language of a less-educated person.
Synonyms
Verb
- assail
- assault
- attack
- beset
- bushwhack
- charge
- descend (on or upon)
- go in (on)
- jump (on)
- pounce (on or upon)
- raid
- rush
- set on
- storm
- strike
- trash
- turn (on)
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web
Andy Meek, BGR, 28 Apr. 2022 Lorenz retweeted his post. Reporting the name of someone who already has a public profile and also uses a twitter account to sic hordes of trolls on other people is not doxing. Grayson Quay, The Week, 19 Apr. 2022 The college students stood across the street from the courthouse when police doused the protestors with tear gas, sic dogs on them and arrested many of the students. Shannon Rae Green, USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2022 And liberals applauded President Biden’s recent decision to sic his Justice Department on parents who dare to speak out against racially tendentious education policies and scientifically suspect Covid protocols at school board meetings. Jason L. Riley, WSJ, 12 Oct. 2021 No word yet on whether Villeneuve is going to sic the Fremen on Warner Bros. Bethy Squires, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2021 How many Americans really think that the answer to beating Covid-19 is to sic the Occupational Safety and Health Administration on American employers? The Editorial Board, WSJ, 15 Oct. 2021 Don't worry: The three major credit reporting agencies don't report nonpayment on medical bill information for 180 days, and hospitals are unlikely to immediately sic a creditor on you anyway. Jennifer Chesak, Health.com, 10 May 2021 Amazon should pay these costs (plus) and not have them bourne (sic) by the American Taxpayer. Ella Lee, USA TODAY, 11 Aug. 2020 See More
Verb
To quickly summarize the meat of the episode: Varga, through Mike Ehrmantraut, makes contact with Gus Fring — the cartel’s man in the north, who used Varga to sic the hitmen on Salamanca. Andy Meek, BGR, 28 Apr. 2022 Lorenz retweeted his post. Reporting the name of someone who already has a public profile and also uses a twitter account to sic hordes of trolls on other people is not doxing. Grayson Quay, The Week, 19 Apr. 2022 The college students stood across the street from the courthouse when police doused the protestors with tear gas, sic dogs on them and arrested many of the students. Shannon Rae Green, USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2022 And liberals applauded President Biden’s recent decision to sic his Justice Department on parents who dare to speak out against racially tendentious education policies and scientifically suspect Covid protocols at school board meetings. Jason L. Riley, WSJ, 12 Oct. 2021 No word yet on whether Villeneuve is going to sic the Fremen on Warner Bros. Bethy Squires, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2021 How many Americans really think that the answer to beating Covid-19 is to sic the Occupational Safety and Health Administration on American employers? The Editorial Board, WSJ, 15 Oct. 2021 Don't worry: The three major credit reporting agencies don't report nonpayment on medical bill information for 180 days, and hospitals are unlikely to immediately sic a creditor on you anyway. Jennifer Chesak, Health.com, 10 May 2021 Amazon should pay these costs (plus) and not have them bourne (sic) by the American Taxpayer. Ella Lee, USA TODAY, 11 Aug. 2020 See More Word History
Etymology
Adverb
Latin, so, thus — more at so
Verb
alteration of seek
First Known Use
Adverb
circa 1859, in the meaning defined above
Verb
1845, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing sic
sics
verb
variants also sicks
as in attacks
to take sudden, violent action against commanded the attack dogs to "sic 'em" Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- attacks
- raids
- assails
- charges
- rushes
- assaults
- strikes
- robs
- besets
- harries
- mobs
- trashes
- storms
- rounds on
- sets on
- bombs
- invades
- sets upon
- flies at
- sets at
- tears into
- bushwhacks
- pitches into
- lights into
- presses
- swarms
- goes at
- waylays
- beats up on
- ambushes
- cannons
- descends (on or upon)
- bombards
- turns (on)
- mugs
- plunders
- pillages
- goes in (on)
- besieges
- jumps (on)
- loots
- nukes
- ambuscades
- blitzes
- flanks
- barrages
- ravages
- pounces (on or upon)
- sacks
- plasters
- cannonades
- surprises
- batters
- buffets
- gangs up (on)
- bum-rushes
- forays
- envelops
- surprizes
- overruns
- beleaguers
- bangs away (at)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- protects
- defends
- shields
- covers
- secures
- guards