Now dial. Forms: 1 ʓesca, iesca, ʓescea, ʓeocsa, ʓeoxa, ʓeohsa, ʓihsa, 4–6 yoxe, 5–7 yexe, 6 yeax, yeske, 6–7 yeox(e, 7 yex, yox, 7, 9 Sc. yesk, 9 yisk, yucks, yeux, yokes. [OE. ʓesca, ʓeocsa, *ʓicsa (ʓihsa), related to next.] An act of yexing; † a sob (obs.); a hiccup or the hiccups.
a. 700. Epinal Gloss., 958. Singultus, iesca.
c. 725. Corpus Gloss. (Hessels), T 71. Tentigo, ʓesca.
a. 1000. Boeth. Metr., ii. 5. Me þios siccetung hafað agæled, ðes ʓeocsa.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., II. 60. Þam monnum þe for fylle ʓihsa slihð.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVII. ix. (Tollem. MS.). To abate þe ȝoxe [ed. 1495 yexe] þat comeþ of fulnesse.
1530. Palsgr., 291/1. Yeske that cometh of the stomake, sanglout.
1547. Boorde, Brev. Health, cccxxv. It is named the yexe or the hicket, and of some the dronken mans cough.
1548. Patten, Exped. Scot., Pref. c vj b, marg. [They] wt a yoxe, do soon dye.
1565. Harding, Answ. Jewel, ii. 138. The yeax and vomite followed.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, II. lxxiv. 246. Two or three branches of Myntes … do swage and appease the Hicquet or yeoxe.
1601. Holland, Pliny, XXVIII. xx. II. 342. They shall find a remedie for the yox. Ibid. (1609), Amm. Marcell., XXX. ix. 392. The yex that often shooke his flankes and small guts.
1621. J. Taylor (Water P.), Goose, Wks. (1630), I. 110/2. One staggering there hath got the drunken yox.
1808. Jamieson, Yeisk, Yesk, s., a single affection of hiccup, S. as, He gae a great yesk, S. B. eesk, id.
1818. Todd, Yux...: sometimes pronounced yex, and yox, or yokes..., the hiccough.
1824. Mactaggart, Gallovid. Encycl., 266. Drink … Which cures the yisk and waterbrash.
1876. Whitby Gloss., Yeux, a hiccup.
1886. Elworthy, W. Somerset Word-bk., s.v. Yucks, Why Tommy, you’ve a-got the yucks—drink some cold water.
