▪ I. freck, frack, a. Obs. exc. Sc.
(frɛk, fræk)
Forms: α. 1 frec, 3 frech, south. vrech, 4 freck, -kk(e, 4–5 frek(e, (5 freik), 8–9 Sc. freck. β. Sc. 6–7 frak, 6–9 frack.
[Com. Teut.: OE. frec, fric, fræc = OHG. freh covetous, greedy (MHG. vrech courageous, Ger. frech bold, insolent), ON. frekr greedy (Sw. frack daring, Da. fræk), Goth. (faihu) friks (fee-)greedy, covetous. Cf. frike a., which seems to have been confused with this word.]
1. Desirous, eager, prompt, quick, ready. Const. gen. (OE. only) to with n. or v. in inf. to make freck: to make ready.
| a 1000 Boeth. Metr. viii. 15 Hwæt hi firenlusta frece ne wæron. c 1205 Lay. 9419 To heo eoden alle afoten & swiðe freche weoren. a 1300 Cursor M. 5198 To bidd hast now es nan sa frek. 1352 Pol. Poems (Rolls) I. 68 Doghty men..That war ful frek to fight. c 1450 St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 4441 He was freke his name to frayne. 1560–78 Bk. Discipl. Ch. Scot. (1621) Pref., Frack to preach the Gospell in Scotland, as in another Antiochia. a 1572 Knox Hist. Ref. Wks. 1846 I. 104 The merchantis maid frack to saill. 1819 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd (1827) 119 Hae ye your man by acht o'clock, A' frack and furnish't for the shock. 1820 Scott Abbot xxxiv, You know whether I am so frack as the serving-man spoke him. |
b. In bad sense: Greedy, gluttonous; also, keen for mischief.
| c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. xi. 19 Heonu monn fric. a 1225 Ancr. R. 128 Þe vox is ec a wrecche vrech best, and fret swuðe wel mid alle. c 1275 O.E. Misc. 75 Ac sathanas þe frecche Þe saule wule drecche, Hwanne he agult habbeþ. |
2. Lusty, strong, vigorous.
| 1500–20 Dunbar Poems liii. 23 On all the flwre thair was nane frackar. 1569 in Napier Mem. (1793) 127 Thou art the frackest felow amang them. 1820 Scott Abbot xxxiv, Unlikely men to stay one of the frackest youths in Scotland of his years. |
▪ II. freck, n. rare—1.
(frɛk)
[? Shortened from freckle n.]
= freckle.
| 1866 Intell. Observ. No. 53. 349 Burnt-umber spots and frecks. |
▪ III. † freck, frack, v.1 Sc. Obs.
[f. the adj.]
intr. To move swiftly or nimbly.
| 1513 Douglas æneis i. i. 62 As the Troianis frakkis our the fluide. Ibid. v. iv. 101. |
▪ IV. freck, v.2
(frɛk)
[? Shortened from freckle v. or var. of freak v.]
trans. To mark with spots or freckles; to dapple.
| 1621 G. Sandys Ovid's Met. ii. (1626) 43 There shee a bloodlesse Statue sate, all freckt. 1821 Clare Vill. Minstr. II. 3 Eve put on her sweetest shroud..Freck'd with white and purple cloud. 1869 Lowell Cathedr. Poet. Wks. (1870) 25 The painted windows, frecking [ed. 1890 IV. 47 freaking] gloom with glow. |