▪ I. † fike, n.1 Obs.
Forms: 1 fic, 3, 5 fike(s, 5 fyke.
[OE. f{iacu}c, ad. L. fīc-us.]
a. A fig; also attrib., as fike-tree. b. A fig-tree.
| c 975 Rushw. Gosp. Matt. xxi. 19 And forwisnade sonæ se fic. ― John i. 48 Miððy ðu were under ðæm fictree ic ᵹisæh. a 1300 Cursor M. 804 (Gött.) Þai clad þaim..wid leuis of a fike tre. 14.. Nom. in Wr.-Wülcker 713 Hec ficus, a fyke or a fikes. |
▪ II. fike, n.2 Sc.
(faɪk)
Also 7–9 fyke.
[f. fike v.1]
† 1. Something that causes one to fidget; esp. the itch. Also, the fikes = the fidgets. Obs.
In first quot. possibly a different word; ? the piles. Cf. ficus.
| a 1605 Montgomerie Flyting 313 The frencie, the fluxes, the fyke and the felt. 1736 Ramsay Sc. Prov. (1750) xliii. 87 Ye have gotten the fikes in your arse or a waft clew. a 1758 Ramsay Address of Thanks xxii, A Briton..as his fancy takes the fykes, May preach or print his notions. 17.. Lady Dalrymple in Lives of Lindsays (1849) II. 322 Your mother's cold was another of my fykes. |
b. A restless movement.
| 1790 Macaulay To Cheerfulness Poems 129 No ane gies e'er a fidge or fyke Or yet a moan. |
2. Anxiety about what is trifling, fuss, trouble.
| 1719 Hamilton 2nd Epist. to Ramsay i, O sic a fike and sic a fistle I had about it! 1790 Burns Tam o'Shanter 193 As bees bizz out wi' angry fyke. 1808 E. Hamilton Cottagers of Glenburnie 169, I dinna fash wi' sae mony fykes. 1827 Scott Surg. Dau. ii, Have I been taking a' this fyke about a Jew. |
3. Dalliance, flirtation.
| 1808–80 Jamieson, ‘He held a great fike wi' her.’ 1810 J. Cock Simple Strains 144 (Jam.) They had a fyk thegither. |
▪ III. fike, v.1 Chiefly Sc. and north. dial.
(faɪk)
Forms: 4, 5, 7–9 fyke, (6 fyk), 3, 7– fike.
[? a. ON. f{iacu}kja (rare in Icel.) = MSw. f{iacu}kja to move briskly, be restless or eager. Cf. ON. f{iacu}kenn eager. See fig v.3, fitch v., fidge v.]
1. intr. To move restlessly, bustle, fidget: fig. to be fussy or restless, vex oneself. Also, to flinch, shrink. to fike and fling: to caper about; also fig.
| c 1220 Bestiary 656 Fikeð and fondeð al his miȝt ne mai he it forðen no wiȝt. c 1325 Coer de L. 4749 The Sarazynes fledde, away gunne fyke. c 1340 Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 2274 Nawþer fyked I, ne flaȝe, freke, quen þou myntest. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 160/1 Fykin a-bowte. 1595 J. Burel Pilgr. in Watson Collect. ii. 26 The Bee..From hole to hole did fyke. 1697 W. Cleland Poems 105 We forsooth must fyke and fling, And make our Pulpits sound and ring With bulkie words, against the Test. 1786 Burns On a Sc. Bard 21 Wha can do nought but fyke an' fumble. 1801 Macneill Poems (1844) 88 Nae langer grane nor fyke, nor daidle, But brandish ye the lang-shanked ladle. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. x, To fyke and fling at piper's wind and fiddler's squealing. 1825 Brockett N.-C. Words, Fike, to fidget, to be restless. 1883 Mrs. Oliphant Wizard's Son vii, Old Blairallan comes fyking. |
b. To dally, flirt.
| 1804 W. Tarras Poems 58 No to fike wi' yon wild hizzie Janet's dochter i' the glen. |
2. trans. To vex, trouble. to fike one's noddle: to trouble one's head. Also, to shrug (the shoulders).
| 1572 in Satir. Poems Reform. xxxi. 124 Blind Jamie tauld me ells That quyetly yai news did fyk yame. 1808–80 Jamieson, ‘This will fike him.’ 1809 Christmas Ba'ing in J. Skinnner Misc. Poetry 123 Some baith thair shou'ders up did fyke. 1837 R. Nicoll Poems (1843) 263 It snoozes on thro' rain and snaw, Nor fykes its noddle. |
▪ IV. † fike, v.2 Obs.
[? repr. OE. *fician (? f{iacu}c-); cf. OE. befician (? bef{iacu}cian) to deceive, ᵹefic deceit; prob. cognate with faken.]
intr. To flatter, fawn, act or speak deceitfully.
| a 1225 St. Marher. (1862) 13 Thu fikest quoth ha ful thing. a 1225 Ancr. R. 206 Þe scorpiun..fikeð mid te heaued & stingeð mid te teile. c 1250 Meid. Maregrete xiii, Meidan Maregrete nulle we nout mitte fike. c 1325 Advice to Women in Wright Spec. Lyr. Poetry 46 Wymmon, war the with the swyke, That feir ant freoly ys to fyke. |
Hence ˈfiking ppl. a., fawning.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 256 Leouere me beoð hire wunden þen uikiinde cosses. |
▪ V. fike
var. fyke.