Yex, yesk v.

Now Sc. and dial. Forms: α¹. 1 ʓeocsian, ʓeoxian, 3–4 ȝoxe, 4–6 yoxe, 4–7 yexe, 5 ȝexe, 6 yeax, youx, yowx, 6– yex, 9 dial. yox, yocks, yaux; α². 5–6 yeske, 6 yeask, 6– yesk; α³. 4–5 ȝoske, 5 yoske. β¹. 1 ʓiscian, 5 yiske, ȝyske, 5–6 ȝisk, ȝeisk, 9 yisk; β². 5 ȝyze. [OE. ʓeocsian, ʓiscian, corresp. to OHG. geskôn, gesgizôn ‘oscitare’: of imitative origin.]

  † 1.  intr. To sob. Obs.

c. 888.  Ælfred, Boeth., ii. § 1. Ac ic nu wepende & ʓisciende ofgeradra worda misfo.

c. 1050.  [see YEXING].

c. 1290.  Beket, 1536, in S. Eng. Leg., 150. And sore wepinde he wende forth, he ȝoxede and siȝte wel ofte.

13[?].  S. Erkenwolde, 312, in Horstm., Altengl. Leg. (1881), 312. Þe bysshop … hade no space to speke, so spakly he ȝoskyd.

1388.  Wyclif, 2 Kings iv. 35. The child ȝoxide [1382 brethed] seuene sithis.

c. 1440.  Alphabet of Tales, 29. And agayn he suld dy, he began at yiske.

1510.  Stanbridge, Vocabula (W. de W.), A iv. Singultio, to yeske or to sob.

1601.  Holland, Pliny, XVIII. xxxv. I. 614. Ravens crying one to another as if they sobbed or yexed therewith.

1629.  Gaule, Holy Madn., 283. What think’st thou of the Body, that yelpes and yexes, at any small push?

  2.  To hiccup.

a. 1400.  Arund. MS., 42 lf. 28 b, in Promp. Parv., 539, note. Anet … the sed coct, and al hot put to þe nostrelle, soffreth noȝt to galpyn, ne to rospyn, ne to ȝexyn.

1432–50, etc.  [see YEXING].

c. 1460.  J. Russell, Bk. Nurture, 298. Be yoxinge, ne bolkynge, ne gronynge.

1530.  Palsgr., 786/2. Whan he yesketh next, tell hym some straunge newes, and he shall leave it.

1544.  Praer, Regim. Lyfe (1545), X vij. It chaunceth oftentymes that a chylde yeaxeth out of measure. Wherfore it is expedyent to make the stomake eygre afore it be fed.

1653.  Urquhart, Rabelais, I. xxi. 90. He … yawned, spitted, coughed, yexed.

1656.  Blount, Glossogr., To Yex, is that we do, when we have the Hicket or Hick up.

1711.  Ramsay, On Maggy Johnstoun, vi. We did baith glow’r and gaunt,… yesk, and maunt.

1804.  Couper, Poetry, II. 220. Weel like ye, yeeskin’, to be there, Though morn’s a head-ach.

  3.  trans. To belch forth. Also intr. to belch; to hawk; to expectorate.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Reeve’s T., 231 (Ellesm.). He yexeth [v.rr. ȝeskeþ, ȝoxeth] and he speketh thurgh the nose As he were on the quakke or on the pose.

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, III. ix. 82. His nek fourth of the cave He straucht, fordrunkin,… Bokkis furth and ȝiskis of ȝoustir mony streme. Ibid., VIII. iv. 36. At his mouth … His faderis reky flamb furth ȝiskit he. Ibid., 154. A laithly smok he ȝiskis blak as hell.

a. 1555.  Lyndesay, in Bannatyne MS. (Hunter. Club), 521/1441. Scho puft and yiskit with sic riftis, That verry dirt come furth with driftis.

1560.  Phaer, Æneid., IX. (1562), D iv. He their maisters head w^t sword ofchopt, & left his tronke furth yexing belching blood.

1567.  Golding, Ovid’s Met., V. 58. He … Beheld him yesking forth his ghost.

1819.  W. Tennant, Papistry Storm’d (1827), 154. It garr’d him yesk his drammach.

1882.  W. Worc. Gloss. Yox, v. to cough, or spit up.

1893.  S. E. Worc. Gloss., Yaux, v. to cough, or expectorate. ‘I don’t want no bacca smokers in my kitchen, yauxin’ an’ spettin’ about.’

  Hence Yexer, one who yexes.

1611.  Cotgr., Sengloteur, one that hath the hickocke; a yexer.