▪ I. ˈfrecken, n. Obs. exc. dial.
Forms: 4 frekne, 5 frakyn(e, 5–6 frakene, 6 fracin, frackne, freken, -in, 7 frechon.
[a. ON. freknur pl. (Sw. fräkne, Da. fregne).]
A freckle.
| c 1386 Chaucer Knt.'s T. 1311 A fewe freknes in his face y-spreynd. 14.. Nom. in Wr.-Wülcker 680/3 Hec lenticula, a frakyn. 1545 T. Raynalde Byrth Mankynde iv. vi. (1634) 200 Frekens..may be taken away by often anoynting them with the oyle of Tartar. 1621 Burton Anat. Mel. iii. ii. vi. iii. (1651) 562 Redde streeks, frechons, hairs, warts. a 1825 Forby Voc. E. Anglia, Freckens, freckles. |
Hence ˈfreckened ppl. a., marked with freckles.
| ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 1081 His forhevede alle was it over, As þe felle of a froske, and fraknede it semede. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 176/1 Fraknyd, idem quod Frakny. 1877 in N.W. Linc. Gloss. |
▪ II. frecken, v. Anglo-Irish, etc.
(ˈfrɛkən)
[mispronunciation of frighten.]
trans. To frighten. Also with of.
| 1847 Le Fanu T. O'Brien 230 ‘A whole parish that was freckened beyant all tellin'.’ 1894 Hall Caine Manxman 347 ‘May be it was myself she was freckened of.’ |