Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1850-1868, 1933-1951
[0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,0,0,0,0]
HICK, v.2, n.2 Also freq. forms hik(e)r (Jak.), heek(er), heeger. [hɪk, hik]
I. v. 1. To delay, hesitate (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928); Dmf., Rxb. 1957); to waver, procrastinate; to haggle in bargaining, to chaffer (Fif., Rxb. 1825 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Dmf., Rxb. 1957); to refuse to work or budge, to jib, as a horse, to slack (Fif. 1957, heek). Agent n. hicker, a jibbing horse (Ib.).Gsw. 1860 J. Young Poorhouse Lays 181:
Nae won'er Britain hicks an' hankers — 'Tween drainin' wars and swin'lin' bankers.Bwk. 1863 A. Steel Poems 50:
Though his opinion rather odd To some appear — Yet never hick, till at your nod The devils fear.Sh. 1951 New Shetlander No. 27. 6:
A peerie aald kraa wis sittin heegrin an flaachterin apo a crub-daek ae kaald voar day, whin by flees a muckle black korbie.
2. To hesitate in speaking (Rxb. 1825 Jam., 1923 Watson W.-B.; ‡Bnff., Abd. 1957). Phr. to hick and hum, to hum and haw, to dither (m.Lth.1 1957).Sc.(E) 1868 D. M. Ogilvy Willie Wabster (1873) 13–14:
The gowk wud gowl, and goup, and gab, Wud hyke and hick, and habbernab.Bnff. 1933 M. Symon Deveron Days 38:
As he hicks an' mants: "H'm! Fiech — It's wait — I'll need to spell."
II. n. 1. A hesitation (in speech) (Dmf. 1957).Clc. 1850 J. Crawford Doric Lays 52:
Tho' mony hicks an' hums Ye've war'd owre poortith's antrin dauds.
2. In phr. to gie (somebody) hick and tarry, to make (someone) pause or desist, to give (one) a drubbing (Rxb. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XI. 79).
[Cf. Norw. dial. hika, to delay, to grope for a word, Sw. dial. hikra, to stammer. Of same ultimate orig. as Hick, n.1, v.1]
