Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1940-1970
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SICK, int., n.1 Also sic, and dim. forms sickie, siccie. [sɪk]
I. int. A call to a lamb or to a calf to come to be fed from its bottle (Abd. 1904 E.D.D.; ne.Sc., Ags. 1970). Also in n.Eng. dial. as a call to pigs.Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick ii.:
"Sic, sic, siccie, sic, sic, siccie, sic, sic," said Mains in the manner of feeding a sucking lamb.
II. n. 1. A pet lamb brought up on the bottle. Hence attrib. a sick lamb, an orphan lamb (Bch. 1926 Dieth 59; Bnff., Abd. 1970).Bnff.2 1940:
We've lost a lot o' yowes this sizzon, an' I've half a dizzen o' sickies to look efter.ne.Sc. 1970 Scots Mag. (Feb.) 422:
There was never a lamb born yet without a mother. We dinna want nae siccies here.
2. A fir cone, esp. one used as a plaything (Abd. 1930). Cf. Yowe, id.
[Prob. an altered form and extended usage of Souk, v. Cf. Eng. dial. sucky, a call to calves, occas. to sheep or pigs.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Sick interj., n.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Feb 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/sick_interj_n1>
