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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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Stik, Styk, n. Also: stikke, stick, stek, stike. [ME and e.m.E. stikke (Orm), sticke (a1225), stik (Manning), stike (a1400-50), OE sticca, ON stika, MDu. stec(ke.]

1. A stick, a rather thin branch broken or cut from a tree, used in construction or gathered for fuel, etc. Also specif., stick and ryse = stake and rice (Stake n.¹ 5 c).(1) 1375 Barb. xi 379.
He has maid Thai pottis, and thaim helyt haid With stykkis and with gres 1513 Doug. i iv 36.
Stikkis dry to kyndil thar about laid is 1513 Doug. vii vii 123.
The ingill of stikkis dry With blesand sownd is layd to c1520-c1535 Nisbet 1 Cor. iii 12.
For gif ony man biggis attoure this foundment gold, siluer, precious staanis, stickis, hay, or stubile [etc.] 1531 Bell. Boece I xxxvii.
Soland geis … gadder sa gret noumer of treis and stikkis to big thair nestis that [etc.] 1531 Bell. Boece II 34.
The stra and stikkis quhare thay lay tuke fire 1536–7 Ayr B. Acc. 26.
For colis to be ane fyre … for stykkis to the samyn, ij d. 1551 Hamilton Catechism 69.
Thair was a certane Jew quhilk on the Sabboth day gadderit a few stikkis 1579 Despauter (1579).
Frutex, medium quid inter arborem & herbam, ane stik 1629 Milne-Home MSS 85.
That na persone … goe any way within the wood undir the pretence of gathering stikis and woll 1643 E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. II 147.
Ather cutting any tries or breking any therof or gaddering ane stiks [sic] … to be put in the lairds pit or joks 1661 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. I 649.
Schoe came furth to her then standing besyd the stickis at her doore 1666 Melrose Reg. Rec. II 150.
They saw him cast stones and stiks at the fruit trees(2) 1696 Galloway P. 26 May.
William Kerr binds … him … to dyk and inclose with ston ditch or stick and ryse … the equal halfe of the wood of Camer

b. In specialised uses: A branch or (thin) piece of timber prepared for a particular use. Also a kill stik (see Kill n.¹ 3) or kiln stick = Rib n. 2 a and Setting stik n.(1) 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I 141.
Thow receauit ane stick with certane reid birssie yarne thairone 1598 Household Bks. Jas. VI and Anne 31 October.
For ane stick to the lairdner to breck the beiff a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 412.
Fools should hav no chapping stiks 1615 Highland P. III 182.
The rebelles sent vp a boy with a lettir in a clofin stik to the liwtenant 1666 Jurid. Rev. XXIV 17.
Mr. Gabriel … stired up the people all to come out armit and not to come with staves and stikes 1686 G. Stuart Joco-Ser. Disc. 66.
Can I no twirrle that stick about? 1688 Bk. Old Edinb. C. XXVII 151.
I bought … two spangtrees for the turning loom … I tryed to turn a stick on the loom(2) 1699 Galloway P. 30 Oct.
He is to keep the kiln water tight & to leave hir so at the ish of this tack with the kiln sticks leeder & other timber as he receves her

c. Ilk (everie) stik, baith stik and stour, in lit. and transf. use, the whole of something, chiefly of a building, etc., also, once, of a wood, with reference to its destruction. 1535 Stewart 12447.
Ouir the brig thai passit … Syne kest doun … baith stik and stour 1535 Stewart 55788.
The greit kirk … Wes brynt ilk stik 1547–8 Cal. Sc. P. I 97.
To caus cut doun the lard of Ormestounis vod evere stek, and bare to Edenburghe lay the rest to geder and burn et. a1578 Pitsc. II 146/30.
They … spullȝeit the place and … caist doune ewerie stone and stik 1662 Criminal Trials III 612.
We putt it into the fyre, That it mey be brunt both stik and stowre

d. fig. A person lacking (sexual) energy or an appetite for life; an impotent person. 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 4105.
He is auld, febill and impotent. Quhen ȝe me staikit vpon sa auld ane stick, I wald … ȝe had me buryit quick 1619 Perth Kirk S. MS 31 Aug.
Scho … saying he … wes lyk ane dry witherit kill stik and na sap in him Thairupon he pressand to haue ado with hir [etc.]

e. fig. To be dung all in sticks, to be demolished or destroyed (in an encounter). 1635 Dickson Wr. 14.
If a man only ken the first covenant, he will be dung all in sticks when he comes to deal with God

2. A stick-like implement or object or one orig. made from a stick. a. A utensil for sprinkling holy water, an aspergillum. See also Haly water n. 2. c1420 Wynt. ix 600.
Off sylvyr the haly wattyr fate, The styk off sylvyr he gave to that 1453 Sc. Eccles. Soc. 219.
A haly watter fat with the stek off siluer c1500 Makculloch MS xiii 26.
Hoc aspersorium, a water styk 1531 Strathendrick 53.
[The] Amphora aque benedicte et aspusorum — the stik and stop and holy water 1540 Treasurer's Accounts VII 397.
Ane hali watter fatt witht ane styk 1567 Inv. Q. Mary App. cxlix.
Ane watter fat with ane watter stik gylt

b. A drumstick. ?1543 Mill Mediæval Plays 234.
[For the] graithing of our swas and stikkis to it

c. = Glove-stick n., a stick used in glove-making. 1633 Edinburgh Testaments LVI 137.
Thrie pair gluiffis stikis price thairof iiij s. 1661 Edinburgh Testaments LXX 182b.
Item four pair of glove stiks worth xvj s.

d. ? A jewelled pin of some sort or ? a candlestick (Candilsteke n.). 1682 Scots in Poland 141.
To lent moneys ane pledge ane old fuork and one little stick gold with 3 diamonts

e. ? 1513 Treasurer's Accounts IV 410.
To litill Trumbull [appar. a messenger] to by him stikis vj s.

f. A candle. 1580-92 James VI Lusus Reg. 45.
The stikke that burnis

3. A stick-shaped piece of sealing-wax. 1666 Annandale Corr. 309.
Send two or threi quaire of common paper, withe a stike of wax 1674 Cunningham Diary 38.
For a stick of wax, 6 s. 1745 Stirling B. Rec. II 362.
To 4 quairs callender paper and a stick wax for making cartouches for the volunteers