dem. adj. and pron, arch. or dial. Forms: α. 3–5 þilke, 3–7 thilke, 4–5 þylke, þilk, 4–7 thylke, 5 thylk, (6 thailk), 4– thilk. β. 3–5 pulke(ü), 5 þulk, 4–5 þelke. γ. 3–5 þike, 4 þyke, þeke, þuke, 4–5 thike, thyke, theke, 5 thik, 6 þieke; 9 dial. thik, thic, thick, thek, thuck, thicky. [ME. þilke, known a. 1300; app. f. þe, THE + ilce, ILK same, meaning the or that same; in some of the quots. þe ilke or þet ilke occurs as a MS. variant.
This analysis suits the form þilke, but does not explain the early southern þūlke and the Kentish þelke, which naturally indicate an OE. *þylce. Can there have been a confusion in the south between þilke and late OE. þylc for þyllic, THELLICH?
(Thick is in dialect use from Cornwall and Hants to Worcester and Hereford; and also in Pembroke, Glamorgan, and Wexford. In many parts it has also the form thicky, thickee, or thicka. It generally means ‘that,’ but in some parts ’this,’ in which case it is contrasted with thuck, thock, or thack = that. It is sometimes indefinite, and has to be made definite, as thick here, this, thick there, that. In Somerset and Dorset, thick and theäse are used only of individual shaped things, as a man or tree, while that and this are used of formless substances in the mass, as flour, milk, marble. See Eng. Dial. Dict.)]
A. adj. The very (thing, person, etc.) mentioned or indicated; the same; that; this.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 68. Iðen ilke huse [MS. C. in þilke hus].
a. 1300. Floriz & Bl., 54. So blisful him þuȝte þilke steuene.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 381. Ascaneus … gat a child Cycillius; Þylke Cycylli gat þat man Brutus.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Boeth., III. pr. x. 73 (Camb. MS.). It semeth þat þilke same thing be most desyred.
a. 1425. Cursor M., 11386 (Trin.). And comen to crist þilke day [C., G. þat ilk dai].
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., 235. Neither in thilk hil neither in Ierusalem.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, I. Prol. 134. Thilk werk tuelf ȝeris first was in making eik.
1579. Spenser, Sheph. Cal., Jan., 61. I loue thilke lasse, (alas why doe I loue?).
a. 1643. Cartwright, Ordinary, II. ii. Dan Cupido Sure sent thylke sweven to mine head.
1724. De Foe, Mem. Cavalier (1840), 236. Says he, in a broad north-country tone, ‘whar hast thou thilk horse?’
β. c. 1290. St. Brandan, 519, in S. Eng. Leg., 234. Þo tornede þe wynd in-to þe North,… In þulke side stronge Inouȝ.
a. 1300. Floriz & Bl., 432. Þulke terme him þuȝte long.
c. 1315. Shoreham, vii. 133. And þelke sone ȝet naþeles Ryȝt ase þe fader hys endeles.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), V. 83 (MS. γ). Þulke Decius. Ibid., VI. 303. Unlawful wedlok … with þelke Iuditha.
c. 1400. R. Gloucester’s Chron. (Rolls), 3771. Þe men of norweye … adde ymade anoþer mon king of þe [MS. α þelke] londe.
a. 1425. Cursor M., 11417 (Trin.). Þulke [Land thilk, Cott. & Gött. þis ilk] sterre hem coom to warn.
γ. 1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 6151. Syn þat þyke pore ermyte was yn drede for so lyte.
c. 1320. Cast. Love (Halliw.), 747. Ne never wes but thyke [v.r. þulke] oon.
c. 1410. Master of Game (MS. Digby 182), xxxv. Hemm þat shulde haue parte of þike deere.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), II. 449. Theke parte scholde haue þe victory.
1439. in Ancestor, July (1904), 16. That every day in thik month the vij tapres brenne.
c. 1440. Lovelich, Merlin, 12104. The tothyr cyte … hindicam hyghte at thyke tyme tho.
1553. Respublica, III. iii. Þieke same waie goeth the hare.
1820. Cobbett, Gram. Eng. Lang., xvii. (1847), 109. When we hear a Hampshire ploughboy say ‘[She] have giv’d I thick handkercher.’
1874. T. Hardy, Far fr. Madding Crowd, II. 289. To ho and hanker after thik woman in the way a do.
1898. E. Phillpotts, Child. of Mist, I. iii. 28. ’Tis thicky auld Muscovite duck, roostin’ on his lil island.
1909. Westm. Gaz., 7 Aug., 2/2. Do ’ee mind thic time, Daddy, when you an’ me catched gert lobsters?
† b. With plural sb.: These; those. Obs.
c. 1275. Lay., 1284. Þe strengest þe weren in þilke daies [c. 1205 o þon dawen].
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), I. 49. Of þilke mouþes þe see of myddel erþe bysynneþ.
c. 1420. Chron. Vilod., 3000. Þat bulke relekes nolde neuer go þen a-way.
c. 1489. Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, xxviii. 577. Wythoute ye had more helpe than thilke knaves.
B. pron. That (or this) person or thing.
c. 1275. Passion our Lord, 110, in O. E. Misc., 40. Mayster am ich þilke þat þe wile so dyhte.
c. 1300. Harrow. Hell, 135. Þilke þat nulleþ aȝeyn hem stonde.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Pars. T., ¶ 32. Pryuee penaunce is thilke that men doon alday for priuee synnes.
1413. Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton), I. xix. (1859), 19. Ful oftymes haue I warned the … as thylk that loueth the.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., II. xx. 273. Therfore chese the reder … whether this or thilk or bothe he wole holde.
1867. Rock, Jim & Nell, vii. Britting o’ thick an’ crazing thack.
1880. Jefferies, Gt. Estate, x. 188. Thuck’s our feyther’s.
1885. Househ. Words, 20 June, 141/2. I cowd ha’ told thee thilk.
† b. pl. Those. Obs.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 7341. Þulke of twenty wynter elde.
1370–80. XI Pains of Hell, 113, in O. E. Misc., 226. Þo þat weren vp to þe briȝes In þat flod … Þulke weore glade of þe mischeef.
1401. J. Skydmore, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. II. I. 20. To all thilke that ye suppose wol take this mater to hert.
a. 1450. Myrc, Par. Pr., 687. Al thilk that with hold eny fredomes.
