Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1830, 1932-1993
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TICK, int., n.4 Also tikk-, teek.
I. int. Freq. in reduplicative and extended forms tick-tick, tick-tickie, tickie, tikkie, tickie-ae, tick-a-lairie, teek, teek, teek, a call to chickens to come to food (Per., Fif., Lth. 1915–26 Wilson; Ork. 1929 Marw., tikkie; Ork., n.Sc., Ags., Per. 1972); a sound to indicate the clucking of hens.Abd. c.1830 W. D. Geddes J. Geddes (1899) 40:
It'll be time eneuch to cry 'tickie' when the chuckies come.Kcd. 1932 L. G. Gibbon Sunset Song 69:
Her mother at that moment calling the hens to feed — Tickie-ae! Tickie-ae!Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick vi.:
Fat dis 'e chucknies say noo? Tick, tick-a-lairie.Abd. 1993:
Fin she geed e hens mait, ma mither aye cried 'Teek, teek, teek' or 'Tickie, tickie, tickie'.
II. n. In dim. form tickie: a hen, chicken, usu. in children's usage (ne.Sc., Ags. 1972). Comb. ticky-taed, in-toed, with turned-in toes like a hen (Per., Fif., Lth. 1972).Per. 1933 W. Soutar Seeds in Wind 17:
It's awfae tae be ticky-taed, I'm gled my taes gang oot.
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"Tick interj., n.4". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 7 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/tick_interj_n4>
