▪ I. † spick, n.1 Obs.
Forms: α. 1, 3 spic, 4–5 spyk (5 spike), 6 spycke. β. 3 spiche.
[OE. spic (= ON. and MSw. spik), var. of spec (once): see speck n.4]
Fat meat or bacon; fat, grease, lard.
| α c 832 Charter in O.E. Texts 446, ii weᵹa spices & ceses. 835 Ibid. 449 An weᵹ spices & ceses. a 1000 Sax. Leechd. II. 92 Ᵹenim þa readen netlan..& spices. c 1205 Lay. 24437 Þer com spic and water and aten vnimete. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 12345 Dynabrok..[was] Rostyng a swyn,..his berd þer-wiþ al lothen, & al to-soilled wyþ þe spyk. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 469/1 Spyk, or fet flesche (K. spike of fleshe), popa. a 1529 Skelton E. Rummyng 335 Another brought a spycke Of a bacon flycke. |
| β c 1275 XI Pains of Hell 134 in O.E. Misc., Heom me drepeþ myd þe piche As we brede wiþ þe spiche. |
▪ II. spick, n.2 Now dial.
Also 6, 9 spik, 7 spicke.
[ad. OF. spic, espic (Cotgr. spique): see aspic2 and spike n.1]
Lavender.
| 1558 Warde tr. Alexis' Secr. 19 Take first..the oyle of Violettes,..oyle of Spick,..of eche of them a pound. 1559 Morwyng Evonym. 232 Oyl of Spick... Set the herb (the flowers rather) of Spik or Lavendar a whyle in the sun. 1639 O. Wood Alph. Bk. Secrets 121 Mixe therewith liquid Storax and oyle of Spicke. 1656 Ridgley Pract. Physick 85 Take..Spick, six grains, with Honey of Roses. 1844 W. Barnes Poems Rural Life 234 The lilies white's her maiden frocks, The spik to put 'ithin her box. 1885– in s.w. dial. glossaries (Somerset, Wilts., etc.). |
▪ III. † spick, n.3 Obs. rare.
[var. spike n.2 or speek n.]
A spike-nail.
| 1611 Florio, Chiodo, a naile, a spicke. 1628 in Foster Eng. Factories India (1909) III. 251 Spicks and nailes of all sorts. |
▪ IV. spick, n.4 dial.
Also spic.
[Var. of dial. speak: see E.D.D.]
A withy or rod, usu. pointed and doubled, used to secure thatch; a spar (spar n.4).
| 1890 J. D. Robertson Gloss. Words County of Gloucester 147 Speeks or spicks, the pieces of wood used for holding together the thatch on a rick. 1893 Dartnell & Goddard Gloss. Words Wiltshire 152 Spick.., in thatching, the same as spar. 1934 Times Lit. Suppl. 1 Feb. 71/3 The thatcher's tackle of ‘spicks’ or ‘spars’ (pointed hazelrods) which fix the bands to hold down the thatch. 1939 D. Hartley Made in England ii. 57 A bundle of the double withies split and bent into a twisted hook or double prong... These, when used in stack work, are called ‘spics’ or ‘speks’. 1949 K. S. Woods Rural Crafts Eng. iii. vii. 109 Thatching Spics. The riving, or rending of the wood, which is the basis of a number of crafts, is illustrated. |
▪ V. † spick, v. Obs.—1
[f. spick n.3]
= spike v.2 1.
| 1623 in Foster Eng. Factories Ind. (1908) II. 230 Our people..came theather..and spicked upp their ordinance. |
▪ VI. spick, a.
Short for spick and span a.
| 1882 Gosse Gray vi. 127 His servant..had to keep the room as bright and spick as an old lady's bandbox. 1920 D. H. Lawrence Lost Girl vi. 99 He liked to have his clothes neat and spick. |
▪ VII. spick
var. spic n. and a.