the verb-stem used in combination: suck-fish = SUCKER sb. 11; † suck-fist [FIST sb.2], a toady; † suck-giver [f. phr. give suck: see SUCK v. 16], a wet-nurse; † suck-hole ?; suck-jack (partial transl. of Pg. papa-jaca, f. papar to swallow + jaca (locally) little crab], a fish (see quot.); suck-lamb [trans. G. sauglamm; cf. SOCK-LAMB], a sucking lamb; † suck-nurse, a wet-nurse; † suck-pint = SUCK-BOTTLE 2; † suck-purse, an extortioner; † suck-spigot = SUCK-BOTTLE 2; also attrib.; † suck-stone, a remora or sucking-fish; suck-(a)-thumb, a child who sucks its thumb; also attrib.
1753. Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl., *Suck-fish,… an English name for the remora, or echeneis of Artedi.
1758. W. Borlase, Nat. Hist. Cornw., 269. I found on Careg-killas, in Mount’s Bay, a particular kind of suck-fish [Lepadogaster cornubiensis].
1876. Goode, Fishes of Bermudas, 61. Leptecheneis naucrates … and Ptheirichthys lineatus … are probably the most common species of ‘Suck-fish’ found here.
1611. Cotgr., Humevesne [read vesse], a *sucke-fist.
1551. T. Wilson, Logic (1580), 80 b. Wee Englishemen knowe (not onely by hearesaie, but also by good experince) that custome is the mother, and the *sucke giuer vnto all erroure.
1626. Middleton, Mayor of Queenb., III. iii. I will learn the villany, of all trades;… if in the brewer, I will taste him throughly, and piss out his iniquity at his own *suckhole.
1843. Lowe, Fishes Madeira, 177. Sebastes Maderensis … Little Rock-fish, or *Suck-jack. Ibid., 178. Its second Portuguese name of ‘Papa-Jaca,’ or Suck-jack, it has earned by its troublesome addiction to hooks baited with the little crab ‘Jaca.’
1887. Daily News, 20 June, 2/6. German *suck lamb, 5s 4d.
c. 1640. H. Bell, Luther’s Colloq. Mens. (1652), 315. They compelled women with childe and *suck-nurses to fast.
1611. Cotgr., Humeux, a *sucke-pinte, or swill-pot; a notable drunkard.
1586. Sir E. Hoby, trans. Cognet’s Polit. Disc. Truth, 41. [They] winde themselues out of the handes of these *suckpurses [orig. succebourses].
1585. Higins, Junius’ Nomencl., 425. Ebriosus,… a dronkard: a *suckspigget.
1639. Horn & Robotham, Gate Lang. Unl., lxxxiv. § 823. A common drunkard (a suck-spiggot, swill-bowl) that is alwaies bibbing.
1661. K. W., Conf. Charac., Cambr. Minion (1860), 82. She’s a fine finacle Cambridge production, got by and aiming no higher then some suckspicket sophister.
1602. Withals, Dict., 37. A little Fishe called a *Suckstone, yt staieth a ship vnder saile.
1661. Lovell, Hist. Anim. & Min., 235. Suckstone. Remora. They are said by their magnetick vertue to stop ships.
18[?]. Shock-headed Peter. I said the Scissors Man would come, To disobedient *Suck-a-Thumb.
1890. E. Warren, Laughing Eyes, 50. A helpless suck-thumb infant.
