Rick

RICK, sb.1 and v.1 In gen. dial. use in Sc. Irel. and Eng. Also in forms reck w.Yks. Hrf.2; reek n.Lin.1 s.Oxf. Hmp.; reeke Wxf.1; reke Lin.1 [rik, rīk.]

1. sb. A heap or stack of hay or corn; a cock of hay. Also used fig. a pile. Cf. reek, sb.4, ruck, sb.5 Wxf.1 Nhb.1 A ‘rick of stones.’ ‘Down the hill to a little rick of stones,’ Hist. Bwk. Nat. Club, V. 255. Cum.4 Corn or hay built into a long pile, whereas a stack is built in a round shape. n.Yks.1 Of larger dimensions than a pike, and not necessarily circular in shape. w.Yks. The smallest of foot-cocks made in a hayfield (M.A.). ne.Lan.1, Chs.1 Chs.2, Der.2, Not. (J.H.B.) Lin.1 As the weather has been so cazzlety, set out the hay in rekes to dry. n.Lin.1 Obs. To make the Lordes hay in a reeke, Norden Surv. (1616) 9. Shr.2 s.Oxf. My 'ay's all in the reeks an' thatched, Rosemary Chilterns (1895) 133. Brks.1 A barley-rick. Hrt. Corn-rick (G.H.G.). Hmp. (H.C.M.B.) Dor.1 A stack and mow, with a sharp ridge, and a pointed top. Hence (1) Rickest or Rickess, sb. an enclosure for ricks, a rick-yard; (2) Ricklet, (3) Rickling, sb. a small rick of hay; a cock of hay in the hay-field. (1) Hmp.1 I.W.1; I.W.2 We must plaay in, mayet, if all this corn es to be got into rickess avore nammet time. (2) Nhb.1 (3) w.Yks. The smallest of foot-cocks made in a hay-field (M.A.); w.Yks.3 A small lump of hay raked up to dry better before being put into cock.
2. Comp. (1) Rick-barken, (2) Rick-barton, an enclosure for ricks, a fold-yard, farm-yard; (3) Rick-builder, a man who builds ricks; (4) Rick-cloth, a waterproof sheet temporarily placed over the top of a rick; (5) Rick-maker, the man who lays the foundation and superintends the making of a rick; (6) Rick-mould, a hoax; see below; (7) Rick-nest, see (2); (8) Rick-staddle or Rick-steddle, (a) the foundation or support of a rick; (b) see (2); (9) Rick-stavel, see (8, a); (10) Rick-stick, a stick used in thatching; (11) Rick-thatching, the thatching of ricks; (12) Rick-victuals, hay, peas, and beans; (13) Rick-yard or Rickerd, see (2). (1) Wil.1 (2) Hrf.2, Brks. (W.W.S.) (3) Oxf.1 MS. add. (4) Brks.1 (5) n.Wil. The ‘Rickmaker’ used to be an important person ─ generally a veteran, Jefferies Wild Life (1879) 114. (6) s.Wor.1 An imaginary implement, represented by any heavy weight in a bag, which a victim, inexperienced in hay-making, is sent to borrow, and has to carry for a long distance, with strict injunctions not to drop it. Glo.1 (7) s.Cy. (Hall.) (8, a) Stf., Der. (J.K.), War.1 War.2, Hrf.2 Sus.1 A wooden frame placed on stones. w.Sus., Hmp. Cooper Gl. (1853). Hmp.1 Wil. Erection of stones to keep a rick out of the damp and free from mice and rats (K.M.G.). (b) Sus.1 Sus.2 (9) e.An.1 A frame of wood placed on stones or piers. [Worlidge Dict. (1681).] (10) Oxf.1 MS. add. Wil.1 In thatching, after the ‘elms’ are fastened down with ‘spicks’ or ‘spars’ the thatch is then lightly combed over with the ‘rick-stick,’ a rod with a few teeth at one end and an iron point at the other by which it can be stuck into the thatch when not in actual use. Dor. Where's your thatching-beetle and rick-stick and spars? Hardy Madding Crowd (1874) xxxvi. (11) Gall. A twist of rotten straw at a rick-thatching, Crockett Lochinvar (1897) 70. (12) Hmp. (J.R.W.), Hmp.1 (13) Rxb. Fire the rick-yard, Hamilton Outlaws (1897) 78. n.Cy., Yks. (J.W.) Oxf.1 MS. add. Brks.1
3. A number of people living in one neighbourhood; lot, company, band. See Ruck. w.Yks. Gen. used of a bad neighbourhood. ‘They're a bonny rick 'at lives by t'beck-side' (S.P.U.); Feargus O'Connor, owd Cobbett and that rick, Yksman. (1876) 44, col. i.
4. v. To stack hay or straw, to build ricks. Edb. Rake them together, and rick them as fast as possible, Pennecuik Poet. Wks. (1715) 94, ed. 1815. Peb. Could... Rick, fill, cart, spread a shairny mass, Lintoun Green (1685) 95, ed. 1817. Hence Ricking-rod, sb. an iron rod used by thatchers to comb down the thatch. Dor. His ricking-rod, groom, or poignard, as it was indifferently called ─ a long iron lance, sharp at the extremity and polished by handling, Hardy Madding Crowd (1874) xxxvii.

RICK, sb.2 s.Cy. [Not known to our correspondents.]

An ancle. (Hall.)

RICK, v.2 and sb.3 Sh.I. Not. Nhp. Oxf. Brks. Bdf. Hnt. Ken. Sus. Hmp. Wil. Dor. Som. Aus. Also written rik Sh.I.; wrick Brks.1 Wil.1 w.Som.1 [rik.] 1. v. To sprain, strain, twist, wrench; also used fig. Not. He can't go, he's ricked his back (L.C.M.); To rick one's leg in running (W.H.S.). Nhp.1 Nhp.2, Oxf.1 Brks.1 I ricked my thumb a liftin' a zack o' be-ans. Bdf. Batchelor Anal. Eng. Lang. (1809) 141. Hnt. (T.P.F.), Ken. (G.B.), Sus. (S.P.H.) Hmp. ‘To rick a ball’ at cricket, to make it twist or turn (J.R.W.); Hmp.1 He's ricked his arm. Wil. Ay; that [the sight of death] jest ricked me, Kennard Diogenes' Sandals (1893) xi; Wil.1 I've bin an' wricked me ankly. Dor. Massy on us, Zam, I've 'a bin and ricked my eärm, Hare Vill. Street (1895) 64. e.Som. W. & J. Gl. (1873). w.Som.1 I wrick my neck more sharper. 2. To pierce with a hook by means of a sudden jerk or pull. Sh.I. A ting o' a brismik 'at Johnnie rikit be aest da Holm, Sh. News (Feb. 25, 1899); (J.S.); Sh.&Ork.1 Hence Rikker, sb. a long small spar of wood such as is used for making the fish-spear called ‘sticker’; a small boat-spar. Sh.&Ork.1 3. sb. A sprain, strain, wrench. Nhp.1 I gen my back such a rick. Brks. Gl. (1852). Sus. (S.P.H.) Hmp.1 I think it's a rick. Oxf. (G.O.) e.Som. W. & J. Gl. (1873). w.Som.1 Her've a-meet way a rick in her back. [Aus. Harold found that he had a nasty rick in the loins, Nicols Wild Life (1887) I. x.] 4. A tug or pull; a sharp movement. Sh.I. He... gae a bit o' a rick, Burgess Sketches (2nd ed.) 77; Keepin' a sharp e'e on your bait, sae as ye can gie your waand a rick da minnit your bait is oot o' sicht, Stewart Tales (1892) 13.

[1. Cp. Dan. vrikke, to wriggle; to sprain (Larsen).]

RICK, v.3 and sb.4 Yks. Lan. Chs. Also in forms reck Lan.; reek e.Yks. Chs.3 [rik, rīk.] 1. v. To rattle, jingle, make a noise; to chatter. Lan. They rickt like a parcel o' chens, Tim Bobbin View Dial. (1740) 36; He finished up wi sich a yeawl 'at my teeth ricked, Clegg Sketches (1895) 38; Lan.1, e.Lan.1 Chs.1 ‘Oo ricks as bad as a jay’ is said of a chattering or scolding woman. Hence (1) Ricking, (a) ppl. adj. noisy; (b) vbl. sb. in phr. to play ricking, to rattle, jingle; (c) sb. a rattling, a jingling noise; fig. scandalous talk; (2) Ricking-ripe, adj. dead ripe. (1, a) Lan. Wi o sooart ov o rickin consarn ut meyde o seawnd us iv summut wur beein rentud, Scholes Tim Gamwattle (1857) 29; Th' soo kept sitch o skrikin reckin din, Tim Bobbin View Dial. (ed. 1740) 17. (b) Lan. If we'd hed a strang sou-west wind, this wad ha' played rickin' too, Waugh Rambles Lake Cy. (1861) ii. (c) Lan. Aw'd mae some rickin i' this cawve-cote, Harland & Wilkinson Leg. (1873) 198. e.Lan.1, s.Lan.1 (2) Chs.1 Applied to corn, probably because it then makes a rattling noise. 2. To utter the noise made by a guinea-fowl, polecat, or ferret, or by a pheasant when roosting. Chs.1 Chs.3 s.Chs.1 Hearken 'em rickin'. 3. To grumble, scold. Lan.1 4. With into or intil: to do anything with energy, esp. to rate, scold, abuse vigorously. e.Yks.1 Didn't Ah reek intiv him? MS. add. (T.H.) w.Yks. Fer abaht a quarter ov an haar he ricked into me reyt an' left, Bradford Pictorial Alm. (1894) in Leeds Merc. Suppl. (Sept. 5, 1896); Ricked intull him (J.R.). 5. To raffle. Lan. They are rickin' for a leg o' mutton, an' aw met as weel goo an' have a shillin's worth, Wood Hum. Sketches 46. Hence Ricking-club, sb. a gambling club; see below. Lan. It was not money belonging to a ‘ricking club.’ He knew what a ‘ricking club’ was, but had never had one in his shop. ─ Mr. Smith: The women subscribe 2s. 6d. a week to the club, and then gamble for it. Is it not a rule that the three highest and three lowest win? Manch. Guardian (Aug. 12, 1896). 6. sb. A noise. w.Yks. Neaw childer, do mak a less o' yore rick (D.L.). Lan. Hoo keeps sich o' rick un o' din fur two hewrs ur moor, Paul Bobbin Sequel (1819) 43; He knew theyrn pikes by th' rick they made i' th' cart, Brierley Waverlow (1863) 38, ed. 1884. 7. The noise made by a polecat or ferret, or by a pheasant when roosting. Chs.1 Chs.3 8. A watchman's rattle. s.Lan.1 [1. Cp. Norw. dial. rik-sa, rik-ta, to creak, make a noise

(Aasen).]

RICK, RICKAM, RICKEN, see Reek, sb.1 Reekim, Reckon.