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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Quotation dates: 1875-1957

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RICKMATICK, n. Also rickmatic, ric-matick, rikmatick (Sc. 1918 Weekly Scotsman (2 April) 2). A group of people or things, gen. in phr. the hale rickmatic, the whole lot or concern, “bag of tricks”, “caboodle”, the sum total (Sc. 1903 Farmer & Henley Slang VI. 21). Gen.Sc. [′rɪkmə′tɪk]Edb. 1875 J. Smith Hum. Sc. Stories 69:
For an honest word in season is the rale ric-ma-tick.
Uls. 1879 W. G. Lyttle Paddy McQuillan 101:
The suiner the hale rick-ma-tik o' them's cleered oot the better.
Ags. 1886 A. D. Willock Rosetty Ends 10:
Brocht the hale rickmatick clatterin' down on the floor.
Fif. 1894 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xxii.:
The haill rickmatic o' them cam' on some piece o' business or ither.
Dmb. 1899 J. Strang Lass of Lennox xv.:
Jamie could put his haun' on aboot the teuchest o' the hale rick-ma-tick.
Dmf. 1917 J. L. Waugh Cute McCheyne 29:
She can play the haill rick-ma-tick on the peeany.
Edb. 1931 E. Albert Herrin' Jennie iL v.:
When the bairn was born she said prayers, and incantations, and holy water, owcr it. . . . The whole rick-matick.
Bnff. 1957 Banffshire Jnl. (10 Sept.):
He soon pat the hale rick-ma-tick o' them tae flicht.

[A corruption of arithmetic, as pronounced with a strong secondary stress on -tic, after Fr. arithmétique.]

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"Rickmatick n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Feb 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/rickmatick>

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