Forms: α. 1 weoce, 3 wueke, 4–6 weke, weyke, wyke, 5–7 wike, weeke, (–9 dial.) week, 6 weyk, (weack), 6–7 weik, wieke, (6, 8 weak), 7 wiek, wieck. β. 4–7 wicke, 5 wyk, 6 wycke, 7– wick. [OE. wéoce wk. fem., also wéoc str. fem. (in candelwéoc), corresp. to MDu. wiecke (Du. wiek), MLG. wêke, weike (LG. weke) lint (whence Sw. veke, Da. væge, Norw. dial. veik), OHG. wioh str. m. or n. ‘lucubrum’ (MHG., G. wieche wick-yarn), MG. wieke, wîke, wicke (G. wieke lint, dial. wicke). For the phonology cf. SICK a.
No certain cognates are known. It has been suggested that the base is an Indo-Eur. weg-, represented by OIr. figim to weave, spin, L. vēlum VEIL, Skr. vâgurȧ. There is no evidence for the alleged OE. wice.]
The bundle of fiber, now usually loosely twisted or woven cotton (formerly rushes, tow, flax, etc.) in a lamp, candle or taper (formerly also in a torch), immersed or inclosed except at one end in the oil or grease, which it absorbs and draws up on being kindled at the free end, so as to maintain the flame.
α. c. 1000. in Techmer’s Internat. Zeitschrift (1885), II. 126. Wæt mid þinum scytefingre on midden, swylce þu weocan settan wylle.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 47. On ure helendes lichame wiðuten sene, þe holie saule wiðinne unsene, and te michele wisdom on eiðer: Alse wex on þe candele sene, þe wueke wiðinnen unsene, and þe fur on boðe.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XVII. 204. As wex and a weke were twyned togideres. Ibid. (1393), C. XX. 178. Of a torche Þe blase beo blowen out ȝut brenneþ þe weke.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 520/2. Weyke, of a candel, lichinius.
c. 1450. Lydg., Life Our Lady, lxxxii. (1484), M ij b. The waxe bytokeneth his manhede, The weke [MS. Ashm. 39 wyke] his sowle, the fyre his godhede.
c. 1485. Digby Myst., I. 490. In yone tapir therbe thing iije, wax, week and light.
1513. State Papers Hen. VIII., No. 4101 (P.R.O.). Item in torche weke and taper weke iiijxx v li.
1570. Levins, Manip., 206/45. Ye Weak of a candle, lichnus.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., II. x. 30. When the oyle is spent, The light goes out, and weeke is throwne away.
1604. E. G[rimstone], D’Acosta’s Hist. Indies, II. vii. 99. In candles of tallow or waxe, if the wike be great, it melts the tallow or the waxe.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 370. Triall was … made of seuerall Wiekes; As of Ordinary Cotton; Sowing Thred.
a. 1691. Boyle, Hist. Air (1692), 247. The Smoak that issues out of the Weik of a Candle newly blown out.
1707. N. Blundell, Diary (1895), 54. Mr. Plumb tryed his Lamp with two Weaks.
a. 1728. Woodward, Nat. Hist. Fossils (1729), I. I. 76. A small Piece of [English talc] … serves very well for a Wiek to a Lamp.
1875. Lanc. Gloss., Week … the wick of a candle or lamp.
β. 1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XX. 205. As þe wicke and þe warme fuyr wol make a fayr flamme.
c. 1450. Alphita (Anecd. Oxon.), 99. Licinum,… mecche uel wyk.
1555. Eden, Decades (Arb.), 230. The wycke or twyste of hempe.
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abus., II. (1882), 50. As for the wickes within them [sc. the candles], they are of hurds, rope ends, and such other good stuffe.
1784. Cowper, Task, III. 164. The little wick of life’s poor shallow lamp.
1815. J. Smith, Panorama Sci. & Art, II. 316. The candle or lamp used with the blowpipe should have a thick wick, which should be snuffed clean.
1840. Thackeray, Catherine, iii. The candles were burning dim, with great long wicks.
1903. Kath. C. Thurston, Circle, I. xv. She … raised the wick of the lamp.
b. Collectively, without article, as the name of a substance: = WICKING.
1391. Earl Derby’s Exp. (Camden), 67. Clerico speciarie … pro wyke þer ipsum empto … pro torches faciendis … xxxj s.
1404. Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees), 395. vj libri de weke pro torgis.
1529. Burgh Rec. Edin. (1871), 6. That thai mak thair candill … of gud and sufficient stuff baith weyk and tallone.
1571. S’hampton Crt. Leet Rec. (1905), 76. The Channdelrs … doo mak their candels wth grat torch weack and yll tallowe.
1602. Shaks., Ham., IV. vii. 116 (Qo. 2). There liues within the very flame of loue A kind of weeke or snufe that will abate it.
1883. Mary Hallock Foote, in Century Mag., Feb., 585/2. He carried too much wick for his candle.
c. Used as a tent or dressing in surgery. (Cf. G. wieke, etc.)
1658. A. Fox, Würtz’ Surg., I. iii. 9. Some … take grosse strong weeks, and thrust them to the bottom of the wounds. Ibid., vii. 27. Of the abuses which are committed with wicks, tents, lints, mullipufis, &c.
1906. Brit. Med. Jrnl., 13 Jan., 72/1. A very long glass drainage tube was placed in the pelvis, another in the right loin … and gauze wicks were placed in the tubes.
d. attrib. and Comb., as wick-holder, -screw, -spout, -trimmer, -yarn.
1498. in Compotus Rolls Obedientiaries St. Swithun’s Winch. (1892), 388. In xij lb. Wekeyorne,… iij s.
1756. W. Owen’s Bk. Fairs (1788), 54. Bridgenorth … horned cattle, horses, sheep, hops, cheese, wick-yarn.
1840. Civil Eng. & Arch. Jrnl., III. 175/2. A sudden blaze as if the wick-screw had been raised a turn.
c. 1865. J. Wylde, in Circ. Sci., I. 304/1. A cap … fits over the wick-holder.
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., Wick-trimmer, a shears for trimming wicks.
1911. J. Ward, Roman Era in Brit., xii. 210. It [the typical Roman lamp] has … a covered wick-spout or nozzle (nasus, rostrum).
