Forms: 4 boidekyn, boytekyn, bode-, boydekynne, 4–5 boyde-, bodekyn, 5 boddekyn, 6 boddkynne, botken, -kin, bodkyn, bodkine, 7 (boidkene), 5– bodkin. [Of unknown etymology: the orig. form in Eng. was boydekin, boidekyn, in 3 syllables. The form naturally suggests a dim. in -kin: but no primitive of the required form appears in Eng. or other related language. The phonetic history is also difficult.
(In default of finding it elsewhere, the derivation has been sought in Celtic. The Welsh bido·gyn ‘little dagger,’ fixed on by some, must be discarded, both because it is accented on the penult, and because the ME. word was itself adopted in Welsh as bwytkin; but some still think it possible that boydekin may have originated in some kind of corruption of Ir. bideog, Gael. biodag, Welsh bidog dagger.)]
† 1. A short pointed weapon; a dagger, poniard, stiletto, lancet. Obs.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Reeves T., 40. Slayn of Symkyn With panade or with knyf or boidekyn [v.r. boydekyn, boytekyn, Boydekynne].
c. 1430. Lydg., Bochas, VI. xii. (title), Victorious Julius Cæsar … was murdred with bodkins.
1477. Earl Rivers (Caxton), Dictes, 49. One of his disciples tooke a boddekyn & prikked him in his feete.
1535. Coverdale, 1 Kings xviii. 28. They … prouoked them selues with knyues & botkens [1611 lancets].
1547. Salesbury, Dict. Eng. & Welsh, Bwytkin, a bodkyn.
1580. Sidney, Arcadia, 276. I … doe defie thee, in a mortall affray from the bodkin to the pike vpward.
1602. Shaks., Ham., III. i. 76. When he himselfe might his Quietus make With a bare Bodkin.
1657. Trapp, Comm. Esther iv. 3. This was now a bodkin at their hearts.
[1850. Mrs. Jameson, Leg. Monast. Ord. (1863), 137. The long bodkin with which those wicked Jews pierced his side.]
2. A small pointed instrument, of bone, ivory, or steel, used for piercing holes in cloth, etc.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 42. Boydekyn or bodekyn, subucula, perforatorium.
1555. Fardle Facions, II. x. 212. About the poincte of the chinne thei haue a feawe heares as it ware pricked in with Bodkins.
1589. Pappe w. Hatchet (1844), 28. Wee challenge him at all weapons from the taylors bodkin to the watchmans browne bil.
1602. Plat, Delightes for Ladies, III. xxx. Make little holes in the Cowcumber first with a wodden or bone bodkin.
1609. A. Craig, Poet. Recreat., 4. Who according to the antient custome hath bored his care with a boidkene.
1785. Reid, Int. Powers, II. xix. 325. A spire at a very great distance seems like a point of a bodkin.
3. A long pin or pin-shaped ornament used by women to fasten up the hair.
1580. Baret, Alv., B 875. A bodkine or big needle to crest the heares, discriminale.
1635. J. Taylor (Water P.), in Harl. Misc., IV. 218. Women’s masks, busks, muffs, fans, perriwigs, and bodkins.
1714. Pope, Rape Lock, V. 95. Then in a bodkin grac’d her mother’s hairs.
1716. Lady M. W. Montague, Lett., x. I. 32. Their hair is … set out with three or four rows of bodkins (wonderfully large, that stick out two or three inches from their hair).
1820. Scott, Monast., xvii. She undid from her locks a silver bodkin around which they were twisted.
1864. Longf., King Olaf, VIII. viii. ’Tis the bodkin that I wear When at night I bind my hair.
1851. D. Wilson, Preh. Ann., II. III. iv. 118. A rude bodkin of bone … employed in fastening the dress.
† b. A frizzling-iron. Obs.
1580. Baret, Alv., B 874. A bodkine or fine instrument that women curle their heare withall … a friseling iron.
4. A needle-like instrument with a blunt knobbed point, having a large (as well as a small) eye, for drawing tape or cord through a hem, loops, etc.
1714. Pope, Rape Lock, II. 128. Wedg’d whole ages in a bodkin’s eye.
5. Printing. An awl-like tool used to pick out letters in correcting set-up type.
1846. Print. Apparatus Amateurs, 17. The bodkin is used to pick out such of the types as are misplaced.
6. transf. (colloq.) A person wedged in between two others where there is proper room for two only; esp. in phr. to ride or sit bodkin.
[1638. Ford, Fancies, IV. i. (1811), 186. Where but two lie in a bed, you must be—bodkin, bitch-baby—must ye?]
1798. Loves of the Triangles, 182 (L.).
| While the pressed Bodkin, punched and squeezed to death, | |
| Sweats in the midmost place, and scolds, and pants for breath. |
1848. Thackeray, Van. Fair, II. 241 (Hoppe). He’s too big to travel bodkin between you and me.
1872. Flor. Montgomery, Thrown Together, ii. 62. The three called a hansom outside, and Cecily … sat bodkin.
7. Comb. and Attrib., as bodkin-case, bodkin-work; bodkin-wise adv.; bodkin-beard, pointed, dagger-shaped beard.
a. 1529. Skelton, Elynour Rum., Prol. 82. Scarfes, feathers, and swerds, And thin bodkin beards.
1591. Lyly, Endym., III. iii. 36. Whether I shall frame the bodkin beard or the bush.
1565. Golding, Ovid’s Met., IV. (1593), 97. Both his shankes do grow In one round spindle bodkin-wise with sharpned point below.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, I. 41. I will have no more close hugs—no more bodkin work.
