[ad. L. Atticus, Gr. Ἀττικός οf Attica.]
1. Of or pertaining to Attica, or to its capital Athens; Athenian. Formerly = Greek.
1599. Broughton’s Lett., 46. You … that arrogate to your selfe the Atticke Science [i.e., knowledge of Greek].
1607. Dekker, Knt.’s Conjur. (1842), 75. No Atticke eloquence is so sweete.
1835. Thirlwall, Greece, III. xviii. A wooden theatre still sufficed for the Attic drama.
2. Having characteristics peculiarly Athenian; hence, of literary style, etc.: Marked by simple and refined elegance, pure, classical. Attic salt or wit (L. sal Atticum); refined, delicate, poignant wit. Attic faith: inviolable faith.
1633. Batt. Lutzen, in Harl. Misc. (Malh.), IV. 185. Written in a stile so attick … that it may well be called the French Tacitus.
1738. Pope, Epil. Sat., II. 85. While Roman Spirit charms, and Attic Wit.
1760. Sterne, Tr. Shandy, V. iii. Triumph swam in my father’s eyes, at the repartee: the Attic salt brought water into them.
1830. T. Hamilton, Cyr. Thornton (1845), 49. The true attic pronunciation inculcated in Mrs. Blenkinsop’s academy.
1864. M. Arnold, in Cornh. Mag., Aug., 164. Well, but Addison’s prose is Attic prose.
3. Attic base in Arch.: a base used for Ionic, Corinthian, and occasionally for Doric columns, consisting of an upper and lower torus divided by a scotia and two fillets. Attic order: a square column of any of the five orders.
[1563. Shute, Archit., E iiij a. That piller which Vitruuius nameth Atticurga or Attica.]
1601. Holland, Pliny, XXXVI. xxiii. Pillars … of the Atticke fashion … be made with foure corners, and the sides are equall.
1727–51. Chambers, Cycl., s.v.. The Attic is the most beautiful of all the bases.
1823. P. Nicholson, Pract. Build., 493. The base is attic, as it is in most of the Roman antiques.
B. sb.1 A native of Attica, an Athenian (author).
1699. Bentley, Phal., 390. A time when the Atticks were as unlearned as their neighbours.
