Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1735-1793, 1845-1950
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QUICKEN, n.2 Also whicken (Rxb.); quiggan; cricken (Rxb.) . Gen. in pl.
1. The couch-grass, Triticum repens (Bwk. 1758 G. Ridpath Diary (S.H.S.) 182; s.Sc. 1777 J. Lightfoot Flora Scotica II. 1131 App.; Mry. 1839 G. Gordon Flora Mry. 5; Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.; Per., Fif., Lth. 1915–26 Wilson; ‡Sh., em.Sc., Ayr., sm.Sc. 1967); rarely applied to the creeping soft-grass, Holcus mollis (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Combs. quicken (ing) grass (Lth. 1765 A. Dickson Agriculture 106; Sc. 1830 Scott Demonology Letter ix.); quickens-scutch, id.Abd. 1735 J. Arbuthnot Buchan Farmers (1811) 12:
If the field be pestered with quicken, swine-arnot, or other such spreading roots.Sc. 1743 R. Maxwell Select Trans. 13:
The little strength that remains is devoured by Coutch-grass, or Quickens, and other Trumpery, that has got possession of the Ground.Ayr. 1793 W. Fullarton Agric. Ayr. 34–5:
We are, however, extremely inattentive to clean the lands from root-weeds, couch-grass, or quickens.m.Lth. 1845 Stat. Acc.2 I. 50:
The light soils are much infested by quickens and tussilago.Abd. 1877 G. MacDonald M. of Lossie lviii.:
Quittens as plenty as quicken.Dmf. 1889 Trans. Dmf. & Gall. Antiq. Soc. 152:
In Dumfriesshire Quickens is the name for couch-grass, a grass possessed of wonderful vitality.Bwk. 1885 Hist. Bwk. Nat. Club XI. 18:
It is Holcus mollis, or "Whin Rack," called here "Quiggans."Sc. 1898 Trans. Highl. Soc. 88:
It is a common belief that quickens-scutch belongs to couch-grass. This is far from being always the case.Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B. 101:
Crickens, sb. NE, C. Couch-grass. [E. quickens.]Mry. 1950 Scotsman (16 Sept.):
Couch-grass — locally "quickens".
2. A quick-set (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., a hedge o' quickens).
[O.Sc. quickens, = 1., 1661, deriv. of North. Mid.Eng. quik, id., northern form of quitch, O.E. cwice, couch(-grass), from cwic, quick, full of vitality. The Sh. forms derive from corresp. Norw. dial. kvika.]
