Obs. or dial. Forms: 1 hwicce, 4 whichche, 4–5 whicche, whucche, 4–6 whiche, wyche, 5 whyche, wheche, whoche, wucche, 6 whytch(e, whitche, (9 dial. wytch). [OE. hwicce (also in cornhwycce), cognate with the synonymous hwæcce.] A chest, coffer, ark; = HUTCH sb. 1, 1 b; a coffin.
a. 1100. Aldhelm Gloss., XVIIIb. 11 (Napier 186/1), Clustella, hwicce.
13[?]. Metr. Hom. (Vernon MS.), in Archiv Stud neu. Spr., LVII. 254/1. Whon þis corn to þis kniht was solde He dude hit in a whucche to holde.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 362. Alle woned in þe whichche [sc. Noah’s ark] þe wylde & þe tame.
1387–8. T. Usk, Test. Love, II. ii. (Skeat), l. 29. Pannes mouled in a whicche [v.r. wyche].
1415. Somerset Med. Wills (1901), 401. And nether wheche, ne leede to be layde in, bote a grete clothe to hely my foule caryin.
c. 1430. Hymns Virgin (1867), 11. A table … Vnder þat auter In a whucche is done.
1541. Will of John Hoper of Keynsham, 19 Jan. (MS.). ij coffers & ij whytchys.
1596. Unton Inv. (1841), 2. j olde whitche, and one musterd mill.
[1856. Morton, Cycl. Agric., II. 727. Wytch, (Herefords.), same as hutch [= body of a waggon].]
