▪ I. chich, n.
(tʃɪtʃ)
Forms: 5–6 chiche, 6–7 cich(e; commonly in pl. 4 chyches, 5 chitches, 6–8 ciches, 4–9 chiches.
[ME. chiche, a. OF. chiche (also cice, both 13th c. in Littré); also 16th c. ciche, a. F. ciche (16th c.): the French forms correspond to It. cece, Pr. ceze (also cezer):—L. cicer, with same meaning.
The French name is in none of its forms an inherited word (the plant not being native, nor in early times grown in France proper), but must have been adopted from a language of the south. An allied plant, the Chicheling or chickling Vetch, or Lesser Chick Pea, had in OF. a native name ceire:—L. cicera.]
The older name of the chick-pea, the seed of Cicer arietinum. Sometimes also applied to the Lentil, Ervum Lens. (Now nearly Obs.)
(α) in form chich.
| 1388 Wyclif 2 Sam. xvii. 28 Fried chichis [Vulg. frixum cicer], and hony. ? c 1390 Form of Cury in Warner Antiq. Culin. 15 Take chyches, and wry hem in ashes all nyȝt. c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. i. 857 The thridde among his wortes chitches soweth. 1547 Bauldwin Mor. Philos. i. xviii, Tullius Appius..had on his nose a marke like a chiche, which is a kinde of pulse, called cicer. 1658 J. Rowland tr. Moufet's Theat. Ins. 1114 Broth of black Chiches. 1718 Quincy Compl. Disp. 117 Chiches; there are three sorts, white, red, and black. 1808 Colebrooke Asiat. Res. VIII. 523 The tame Gayáls.. eat rice, mustard, chiches. |
(β) in form cich.
| 1548 Turner Names of Herbes, Cicer may be named in english Cich, or ciche pease, after the frenche tonge. 1551 ― Herbal 107 Ciche hath the longest roote of any pulse. 1591 Percyvall Sp. Dict., Cizerca, ciches. 1597 Gerard Herball ii. iv. 182 Seedes like unto tares, or wilde ciches. 1614 W. B. Philosopher's Banquet (ed. 2) 62 Ciches are both white and black. 1721–1800 Bailey, Cich or Cich⁓pease, a sort of pulse. Cichlings, petty Ciches. |
▪ II. † chich, v. Obs. rare.
[cf. chick v.1]
trans. To call as a hen (her chickens).
| c 1420 Pallad. i. 661 She..clocketh hem, but when she fynt a corne, She chicheth hem and leith it hem before. |
▪ III. chich, n., a., v.
earlier f. chinch, niggard, etc.