Obs. exc. dial. Forms: [2 wicci], 3–5 wicke, wikke, wik, 4 wic, wyc, 4–5 wycke, wykke, wyk, 5 wyke, (wekke), 4–5, 8–9 dial. wick. [orig. wicke, wikke, app. adj. use of OE. wicca wizard (of which the fem. is wicce WITCH); but perhaps an alteration of early ME. wicci (?:—*wicciʓ, f. wicca), of which the following is the only known instance:—
1154. O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1140. Þe king him sithen nam in Hamtun þurhc wicci ræd.]
1. = WICKED a.1 1 a, b.
c. 1200. Ormin, 6185. Ȝiff þatt iss þatt ȝho iss all wittlæs, & wac, & wicke.
c. 1220. Bestiary, 593. He speken godcunhede, and wikke is here dede.
c. 1290. S. Eng. Leg., I. 203/119. Þe feondes luþere and wicke.
c. 1325. Metr. Hom., 28. Thair wike dedes. Ibid., 51. Sin and wik dedis.
13[?]. Cursor M., 2777 (Gött.). Þe foule feluns wid wic entent.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Pars. T., ¶ 355 (Egerton 2726). The fende seith I woll chace and pursue man by wyk suggestion.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., xxi. 262. Was ther neuer man so wyk bot he myght amende.
a. 1500. Hist. K. Boccus & Sydracke (? 1510), I j. A … sowle synful and wycke Is also blacke as eny pycke.
1901. Sutcliffe, Mistr. Barbara Cunliffe, i. She’s just her maister ower again—same wick’ look o’ th’ devil about her.
2. a. = WICKED a.1 2 a, b, c.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 104 (MS. T.). Of swati hattre oðer of wikke air.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 27877. O glotori and o drunkenhede Fele wick branches se we sprede.
1340–70. Alex. & Dind., 537. Tricerberus þe helle-hound … Boþe wakrong & wikke.
a. 1350. S. Stephen, 421, in Horstm., Altengl. Leg. (1881), 33. Þai raysed þe wynd with weders wik.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, I. 946. For þilke ground þat bereth þe wedys wykke Bereth eke þese holsome herbes. Ibid. (c. 1374), Boeth., III. met. i. (1868), 64. Hony is þe more swete yif mouþes han firste tastid sauoures þat ben wikke.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 4721. In helle habbe he pynes wycke.
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., 1242, Dido (Gg. 4. 27). The wikke fame a-ros … How Enias hath with the queen I-gon. Ibid. (c. 1386), Knt.’s T., 229. Som wikke aspect or disposicioun Of Saturne.
c. 1400. Laud Troy Bk., 15306. That he be sclayn … That he no wyse passe quyk, For that were then to vs ful wik. Ibid., 15733. The fyght was sterne and wyk.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., I. 973. Al the lond that thou hast goon aboute Fro cloudis wicke is saaf.
a. 1450. Le Morte Arth., 3365. Arthur of batayle neuyr blanne To dele woundys wykke and wyde.
1756. in N. & Q., 12th Ser. XI. 390/2. For the warding off of all things whatsoever from the dead—be they imps, wraithspells, wick things & the like ket.
† b. = WICKED a.1 2 d; in quot. 1297, feeble, lacking in force. Also as the equivalent of a negative prefix = un-, dis- (e.g., wiklose = dispraise). Obs.
c. 1200. Ormin, 16515. Jesu Crist wel unnderrstod all þeȝȝre wicke trowwþe.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 358. Nis he a kang [MS. T wicke] knit þet secheð reste iðe uihte?
c. 1250. Hymn, in Trin. Coll. Hom., App. 259. Wicke is here ure fare & ure wuniȝinge.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 4228. Þe scolle [was so] hard & þikke, Þeruore, þei it ne come noȝt þoru, þe dunt nas noȝt wikke.
c. 1300. Havelok, 2457. With poure mete, and feble drink, And with swiþe wikke cloþes.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter, lxvii. 33. And swa it bifalles þat þai out close þaim fra þaire wiklose þat ere proued in syluere [L. ut excludant eos, qui probati sunt argento].
c. 1398. Chaucer, Fortune, 55. Wikke appetyt comth ay before sykenesse.
c. 1400. Leg. Rood (1871), 153. My wonynge is wel wykke.
a. 1500. Hist. K. Boccus & Sydracke (? 1510), Q ij b. As foly among wysmen is wyke Wysdome among folys is lyke.
† c. = WICKED a.1 2 f. Obs.
c. 1320. Sir Tristr., 775. Morgan is wick to slow.
1340–70. Alex. & Dind., 938. Þanne wol he [sc. man] … wexe wilde of his wil & wikke to staunche.
† 3. absol. or as sb. a. WICKED a.1 4 a, b.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 4650. So þat here nas noȝt bileued bote heþene & wikke.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 2752. It semes not to be þi will For þe wik þe dughti spill. Ibid., 8631. ‘Þou wik,’ sco said, ‘ai be þe waa, Qui has þou me bi-suiken sua?’
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, ii. (Paulus), 177. Ger do þis wik away, And hed hym but mare delay.
1390. Gower, Conf., II. 325. O werste of alle wicke … lo, what thou hast do!
† b. In abstract sense: Evil, ill; wickedness.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 2432. Fro wycke vntil wors y nam.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, III. 1074. Now is wykke I-turned vn-to worse.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XII. 272. No wyght Wot ho is worthi for wele oþer for wicke.
1447. Bokenham, Seyntys (Roxb.), 85. Lyk smal infauntys wych kun no wykke.
† 4. as adv. = WICKED a.1 5. Obs.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 10004. For … ageyns þer lord do so wyk.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 882. Þan laid he on þe Sarsyns wykke.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XVII. 177. At my lykynge chese, To do wel oþer wikke.
Hence † Wickdom, † Wickhede, † Wickness, wickedness, iniquity; † Wickly adv., wickedly.
c. 1440. R. Glouc. Chron. (Rolls), 2390. Princes oueral … Speke him vuel & hated him vor is suikedom [MS. δ *wyckedome]. Ibid., 4822, 7278.
c. 1305. 11,000 Virg., 34, in E. E. P. (1862), 66. To cheose þe ten maidenes wiþoute enie *wikhede.
1338. R. Brunne, Chron. (1725), 124. Tresore *wikly wonnen.
a. 1300. E. E. Psalter v. 7 [6]. Þou hated al þat wirkes *wiknesse.
1382. Wyclif, Prov. v. 22. His wickenesses taken the vnpitouse.
