Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

PICKIE, n. Also picky. The young of the coalfish or saithe, Gadus virens (Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.; Ayr. 1965), any small fry of fish. Also in forms pickock (Patterson). picken, id. Cf. Picker, n., 6.Ags. 1901 Chambers's Jnl. (26 Oct.) 753:
Large shoals of young saithe, sillocks, pickens, . . . continually infested the reef.Ags. 1952 Scots Mag. (Feb.) 358:
There are others — “monks” and “inks,” “greybacks,” “poodlies and pickens” and “congers.”