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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
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Pik, Pick(k, Py(c)k, n.3 Also: picke, picque; peke, pei(c)k. [e.m.E. pick(e (1560), collateral form of pike Pike n.4, F. pique (1376 in Hatz.-Darm.) f. the same root as piquer to pierce and pic Pik n.2 Appar. only Sc. after 1587.Ger. pike, Du. piek, Da. and Swed. pik are also f. F. pique.]
1. a. A weapon consisting of a long wooden shaft, or pike-staff, with a pointed head of iron or steel; a pike. b. A pike-staff.Also attrib. and comb. with -arquebus and -lenth.To pas the picques, to ‘run the gauntlet’. Push of pick, close quarters.(1) 1515 Treas. Acc. V. 12.
Werkman quhilkis lauborit apoun the dichting and heding of … speris and pikkis 1517 Ib. 122.
The hail munitioun viz. pikkis halbartis [etc.] … halcrikkis with splenttis 1541 Ib. VII. 498.
Pikkis of Spanȝe esche … pikkis quhite esche hedit … pikkis of beche unhedit 1541 Reg. Great S. 579. 1541–2 Treas. Acc. VIII. 122. 1548–9 Corr. M. Lorraine 294.
Bryng handsume wapons with your men and nay pykkis 1558-66 Knox I. 335.
Gif it war bot with a pick upon my shulder 1571 Bann. Memor. 152.
Picke 1581-1623 James VI Poems I. 241/364.
The clinkis of suordis the ratle of pikkis 1598 Acts IV. 196/1. 1587-99 Hume 55/114.
Strang pousing picks the charge plaist to sustein 1613 E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. V. 47.
To be … hung upoun a pyk or staik of tymmer 1626 Edinb. B. Rec. VI. 300 (see Pikman n.1). 1636 Edinb. Test. LVII. 327 b.
Ane pik of jew tymber 1638 Household Bk. M. Stewart 29.
For a picke of firr for John the bairne 1640 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II. 619. 1651 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 119.
Ane sufficient Spanish pick ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. II. 26 (see Pen n. 3 (1)). 1689 Acts XII. 55/2.
Pycks(b) 1543 Corr. M. Lorraine 34.
Pekes and halbardes(c) 1668 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. II. 571.
Peicks(2) 1567 Sel. MSS. Q. Mary 234.
As it wer to pas the picques(3) 1627 Kellie Pallas Armata 25.
When battelles commeth to push of picke [etc.] 1659 Johnston Diary III. 144.
They wer in our place at puisse of pick within one anothers airmes(4) 1627 Kellie Pallas Armata 23.
Recover your picke from traill or cheeke by palming … Present your picke forward Ib. 24, etc.
This posture advance or mount your picke which the French calleth pique en hautattrib. and comb. — 1626 Reg. Great S. 355/2.
Novum haste genus quod λογχακοντιστης quasi hasta ejaculans nominari potuit lie pickk-arquebus ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. II. 214.
Within two picke lenth to Montrose company 1675 Erskine Diary 223.
Within the distance of a picklenth
2. Put as the name for earlier staff weapons, or to render L. pīlum, tēla, etc. 1513 Doug. ix. viii. 126.
The Troianys … dang thame down with pikkis and poyntit styngis Ib. xii. iii. 24. 1551 Hamilton Cat. 82.
He was strikin throw the hart with thre pickes or speiris be the handis of Joab
3. transf. A pikeman. = Pikman n.1 1547 Corr. M. Lorraine 210.
An thousand men of ordinance, hakbutteris and peikkis
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"Pik n.3". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 2 Dec 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/pik_n_3>