Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1887
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BICK, v.2 To weep and sob, to whine.w.Sc., s.Sc. 1887 Jam.6:
Bick is applied to the short, quick sounds made by a child when sobbing and crying; byke is applied to the long drawn sobs that come after the crying has ended. Hence the saying, "I'd rather see a bairn bickin than bykin."
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"Bick v.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 9 Apr 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/bick_v2>
