Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
SICH, v., n. Also sicgh (Sh. 1886 J. Burgess Sketches 106); seich (Rxb. 1871 H. S. Riddell Poet. Wks. I. 5; Sh. 1959 New Shetlander No. 51. 9), †seigh, †sych (Peb. 1832 R. D. C. Brown Peggy's Mill 76), sech (Ags. 1869 Arbroath Guide (16 Oct.) 3, Abd. 1895 W. Allan Sprays II. 44; Dmf. 1925 Trans. Dmf. and Gall. Antiq. Soc. XIII. 37; Fif., Lth. 1926 Wilson Cent. Scot. 264), saich (ne.Sc.), †saigh; and freq. form sicher. Sc. forms of Eng. sigh. [sɪç, sɛç; I. and s.Sc. + səiç]
I. v. As in Eng., freq. in phr. to sich and sab. Pa.t. sicht, s(e)ight, siched. Freq. form sicher, to sigh in a tremulous sobbing manner. Comb. sichin-like, woebegone.Edb. 1791 J. Learmont Poems 113:
She sicht sair in her bed.ne.Sc. 1822 Baron of Brackley in Child Ballads No. 203 A. xxv.:
O sichin and sobbin she'll soon get her fill.s.Sc. 1834 Wilson's Tales of the Borders I. 56:
She sat cowering and unhappy, and seighin' every handel-a-while.Abd. 1868 W. Shelley Wayside Flowers 208:
“Oh! sorrow,” saiched she.Gsw. 1877 A. G. Murdoch Laird's Lykewake 23:
“Oor bairnie,” sicher'd oot the wife. “is jist this moment gane.”Cld. 1880 Jam.:
Dinna sit there, as gin ye were some puir, sichin-like body.Sc. 1892 Scots Mag. (May) 450:
He was gaun through some emotional passages; sic sabbin' an' sichin' I never saw.Per. 1895 R. Ford Tayside Songs 165:
Anon he sechs, anon he maens.Abd. 1918 J. Mitchell Bydand 8:
The Dev'ron's eerie sechin sooch.Sh. 1960 New Shetlander No. 55. 15:
Dan shü jüst syched, “Never mind.”
II. n. A sigh. Gen Sc., obsol.Sc. 1783 J. Pinkerton Select Ball. II. 132:
Without ae sich his dethe to roun.Sc. 1826 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) I. 117:
What a lesson in a sich!Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch Bk. 50:
Miny a sair sich gae he.Ags. 1895 Arbroath Guide (9 Nov.) 3:
Wi' a deep saich she again made as gin she'd come oot frae below the blankets.Abd. 1909 J. Tennant Jeannie Jaffray 7:
Little mair than the sech o' an aul, wife.Sh. 1956 Sh. Community Mag. No. 2. 17:
Da oobin winds gie sough an seich.
