wick
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /wɪk/
rhymes: -ɪk
Forms: form: wicks
Etymology: The noun is derived from Middle English wek, weke, wicke (“fibrous cord drawing fuel to flame of a candle, etc.; material used to make this object”), from Old English wēoce (“wick”), from Proto-West Germanic *weukā (“flax bundle; wick”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *weg- (“to weave”).
It has been suggested that noun sense 2 (“penis”) is derived from Hampton Wick, used as rhyming slang for prick. If so, that sense should be placed under etymology 2.
The verb is derived from the noun.
cognates
* Dutch wiek (“wick; wing; blade, propeller”)
* German Wieche (“wick; wisp”)
* Swedish veke (“wick”)
* West Frisian wjok, wjuk (“wing”)
Senses: examples: text: Trim the wick fairly short, so that the flame does not smoke.
text: Theſe cordes, they caule Cabuia and Henequen, which are al one thing ſauyng that Henequen is leſſe and of a fyner ſubſtaunce as it were line: And the other is groſſer lyke the wycke or twyſte of hempe, and is imperfecte in compariſon to the other.
ref: 1555, Peter Martyr of Angleria [i.e., Peter Martyr d’Anghiera], “Of Venemous Apples wherwith They Poyson Theyr Arrowes”, in Rycharde Eden [i.e., Richard Eden], transl., The Decades of the Newe Worlde or West India, […], London: […] [Rycharde Jug for] Guilhelmi Powell, →OCLC, decade, folio 200, recto:
text: But true it is that vvhen the oyle is ſpent, / The light goes out, and vveeke is throvvne away; […]
ref: 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto X”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 30, page 333:
text: But novv vvee vvill ſpeake of the Continuance of Flames, ſuch as are vſed for Candles, Lamps, or Tapers; conſiſting of Inflammable Matters, and of a VVieke that prouoketh Inflammation. […] Triall vvas likevviſe made of ſeuerall Wickes; as of Ordinary Cotton; Sovving Thred; Ruſh; Silke; Stravv; and VVood.
ref: 1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “IV. Century. [Experiments in Consort, Touching the Continuance of Flame.]”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC, paragraph 369, page 99:
text: [W]e may take notice of the Smoak that iſſues out of the VVeik of a Candle nevvly blovvn out; for vvhilſt the ſooty Corpuſcles retain their Bigneſe and Texture, they are able to offend the Noſtrils very much by their Stink; […]
ref: a. 1692 (date written), Robert Boyle, “Title XL. Of the Air in Reference to the Generation, Life and Health of Animals.”, in The General History of the Air, […], London: […] Awnsham and John Churchill, […], published 1692, →OCLC, page 247:
text: And thus they spend / The little vvick of life's poor ſhallovv lamp, / In playing tricks vvith nature, giving lavvs / To diſtant vvorlds and trifling their ovvn.
ref: 1785, William Cowper, “Book III. The Garden.”, in The Task, a Poem, […], London: […] J[oseph] Johnson; […], →OCLC, page 99:
text: The dice went rattling on; the candles were burning dim, with great long wicks.
ref: 1839 May – 1840 February, Ikey Solomons, Jun. [pseudonym; William Makepeace Thackeray], “Catherine: A Story. Chapter. In which a Narcotic is Administered, and a Great Deal of Genteel Society Depicted.”, in Catherine: A Story. Little Travels. The Fitz-Boodle Papers. etc. etc. (Works of William Makepeace Thackeray in Twenty-four Volumes; 22), London: Smith, Elder and Co., […], published 1869, →OCLC, page 43:
text: My improvements in the manufacture of candle-wick apply particularly to the common or well-known plaited or platted wick, used in candles, for supporting combustion, and consist, / Firstly, in the introduction of one, two, or more straight distended warps, to form the base of a platted or woven candle-wick, such wick being made from three or more strands of cotton; […]
ref: 1843 January 14 (date sealed), Nathaniel Card, “Specification of the Patent Granted to Nathaniel Card, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Candle-wick Manufacturer, for Certain Improvements in the Manufacture of Candle-wick, and in Machinery or Apparatus for Producing such Manufacture”, in The Repertory of Patent Inventions, and Other Discoveries and Improvements in Arts, Manufactures, and Agriculture; […], volume II (Enlarged Series), number V, London: Published for the proprietor, by Alex[ander] Macintosh, […]; and sold by Simpkin, Marshall, and Co., […]; J[ohn] Weale, […]; and G. Hebert, […], published November 1843, →OCLC, pages 292–293:
hyponyms: candlewick
lampwick
glosses: A braid or bundle of fibre or other porous material (now generally twisted or woven cotton) in a candle, kerosene heater, oil lamp, etc., that draws up a liquid fuel (such as melted tallow or wax, or oil) at one end, to be ignited at the other end to produce a flame.
examples: text: There liues vvithin the very flame of loue / A kind of weeke or ſnufe that vvill abate it, […]
ref: c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (Second Quarto), London: […] I[ames] R[oberts] for N[icholas] L[ing] […], published 1604, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene vii], signature [L4], verso:
hyponyms: candlewick
lampwick
lampwick
glosses: A braid or bundle of fibre or other porous material (now generally twisted or woven cotton) in a candle, kerosene heater, oil lamp, etc., that draws up a liquid fuel (such as melted tallow or wax, or oil) at one end, to be ignited at the other end to produce a flame.
Synonym of wicking (“the material of which wicks (sense 1) are made”).
synonyms: word: wicking
extra: (“the material of which wicks (sense 1) are made”)
hyponyms: candlewick
lampwick
glosses: A braid or bundle of fibre or other porous material (now generally twisted or woven cotton) in a candle, kerosene heater, oil lamp, etc., that draws up a liquid fuel (such as melted tallow or wax, or oil) at one end, to be ignited at the other end to produce a flame.
Any piece of porous material that conveys liquid by capillary action; specifically (medicine), a strip of gauze placed in a wound, etc., to absorb fluids.
examples: text: His wick was stone stiff.
ref: [1969], Marcus van Heller [pseudonym; John Stevenson], Nest of Vixens, [New York, N.Y.]: Ophelia Press, →OCLC:
text: Thrusting his head out of a miniature waterfall, Di asked, 'You don't feel like a bit of a bunk-up this evening, Stubby, by any chance?' / 'A bit of what?' / 'Dipping your wick, man!' / This was unlike the staid, chapel-going Di I thought I knew. 'I'm careful where I dip my wick, mate. Got a bit of respect for it.'
ref: 1971, Brian W[ilson] Aldiss, “Book 2: The Old Five-fingered Widow”, in A Soldier Erect, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, →OCLC, page 111:
text: Her laugh wasn't cruel in tone, but it cut through Husk like a scalpel, withering his wick even further.
ref: 2009, Ira Robbins, “Parthenogenesis”, in Kick It till It Breaks, [New York, N.Y.]: Trouser Press, →ISBN, page 130:
glosses: Often in dip one's wick: the penis.
Derived terms: word: all wax and no wick
word: Bushwick
word: candlewick
word: constablewick
word: dip one's wick
word: get on someone's wick
word: inwick
word: lampwick
word: multiwick
word: pickwick
word: wickable
english: having a wick
translation: having a wick
word: wicked
word: wick effect
word: Wickfield
word: wickie
word: wicking
word: wickless
word: wicklike
word: wickmaker
word: wickmaking
Related terms: word: cottonwick