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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Quik(k)in, v. Also: -ine, quiqkin, quickin, -en, quyk(k)in(e, -yn, quhykine; inflected quikn-, quicn-, quickn-, qwikn-, quykn-, qwykn-, also quiken-, quykkynn-. [ME (appar. orig. north.) quicken (Cursor M.), qwycken (a1300), qwikyn (Rolle), quikken, quiken, quyken, etc., also whiken (1357), qwhykkyn (1435), e.m.E. quicken, quycken, etc.: cf. ON kvikna, kykna to come to life.]

1. tr. To bring (chiefly, back) to life; to animate or, chiefly, re-animate; to revive. Also with cognate obj.Also freq. with reference to spiritual life, and fig.(1) a1400 Leg. S. i 117.
He heilys sek men And quyknyse dede Ib. l 924.
He, That, quhen He will, ma quykine & sla Ib. xxxvi 367.
Quyknyt Ib. xliii 567.
Quhykine 1533 Gau 45/11.
He quhilk rasit Hime wp sal quikkine ȝour mortal bodis for His spretis saik a1570-86 Maitl. F. 412/6.
Qwyknyt(2) 1531 Bell. Boece I x.
As quhen ane luffar dois his lady meit To quikin his life of mony deidly swon(3) 1513 Doug. x Prol. 128.
O thyne inestimabill luf … To quykkyn thy sclavys tholyt schamfull ded 1533 Gau 45/8.
Siclik as we de al throw Adame we sal be al quiknit throw Christ 1551 Hamilton Cat. 256.
Quicknit 1562-3 Winȝet II 23/24.
Quikin c1568 Lauder Minor P. i 275.
Quyknis 1602 Colville Paraenese 120.
That albeit the treu sens of scriptur doth quikkin, yit the letter tharof doth kill 1653 Binning Wks. 9.
The second Adam aspired to quicken what Adam killed(4) 1533 Boece 398b.
Blasphemacioun of God … is with mekill mare insolence than afore amang ws revixit and quykkynnyt

2. intr. To come (back) to life, revive.Also fig. in legal application.(1) c1420 Wynt. ii 412.
With that worde he was so fayne That his speryt quyknyt [v.r. qwiknyt] agayne 1600-1610 Melvill 221.
Wherby he quicned and kythed signes of lyff(2) 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Annexation.
Induring the time of the quhilk dissolution, the annexation ceasis, & sleepis, and the dissolution being ended be decease of the maker theirof, the said annexation beginns to quicken et quasi reviviscere

3. tr. To arouse, stimulate, inspire. c1460 Wisd. Sol. (S.T.S.) 517.
The wordis of wisdome quyknys gud mennis wyttis and opnis thaim to consaue vysdome c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 247.
God my spreit now inspir and my speche quykkin 1513 Doug. iv ix 28.
To the walkryfe dragon mete gave sche … to quykkyn his spreit 1531 Bell. Boece II 18.
Beleif ye that Constantine … may quickin the curage or spreit of thaim that ar gevin onely to bordellis, [etc.] Id. Livy I 1/13.
Bricht Apollo … , quykin the spretis of my dull ingyne Arundel MS 253/446.
Quiqkin me to leif in grace a1585 Maitl. Q. 281/52.
And quikned with sum mater 1587 Crawford Mun. Invent. II 187 (19 Feb.).
My courage was nocht availkit to mwse on rurall pastymes quhill the chirming of the birdis quiknit the samin 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 31/8.
Religion … quikenid be faith & conseruid by conscience

4. To ferment.Also in later Sc. and mod. north. Eng. dialects, and cf. Quikkining n. 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Georgics i 66.
Fermentet, quicken