Forms: 5–6 chiche, 6–7 cich(e; commonly in pl. 4 chyches, 5 chitches, 6–8 ciches, 4–9 chiches. [ME. chiche, a. OF. chiche (also cice, both 13th c. in Littré); also 16th c. ciche, a. F. ciche (16th c.): the French forms correspond to It. cece, Pr. ceze (also cezer):—L. cicer, with same meaning.
The French name is in none of its forms an inherited word (the plant not being native, nor in early times grown in France proper), but must have been adopted from a language of the south. An allied plant, the Chicheling or CHICKLING Vetch, or Lesser Chick Pea, had in OF. a native name ceire:—L. cicera.]
The older name of the CHICK-PEA, the seed of Cicer arietinum. Sometimes also applied to the Lentil, Ervum Lens. (Now nearly Obs.)
α. in form chich.
1388. Wyclif, 2 Sam. xvii. 28. Fried chichis [Vulg. frixum cicer], and hony.
c. 1390[?]. Form of Cury, in Warner, Antiq. Culin., 15. Take chyches, and wry hem in ashes all nyȝt.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., I. 857. The thridde among his wortes chitches soweth.
1547. Bauldwin, Mor. Philos., I. xviii. Tullius Appius … had on his nose a marke like a chiche, which is a kinde of pulse, called cicer.
1658. J. Rowland, trans. Moufet’s Theat. Ins., 1114. Broth of black Chiches.
1718. Quincy, Compl. Disp., 117. Chiches; there are three sorts, white, red, and black.
1808. Colebrooke, Asiat. Res., VIII. 523. The tame Gayáls … eat rice, mustard, chiches.
β. in form cich.
1548. Turner, Names of Herbes, Cicer may be named in english Cich, or ciche pease, after the frenche tonge. Ibid. (1551), Herbal, 107. Ciche hath the longest roote of any pulse.
1591. Percyvall, Sp. Dict., Cizerca, ciches.
1597. Gerard, Herball, II. iv. 182. Seedes like unto tares, or wilde ciches.
1614. W. B., Philosopher’s Banquet (ed. 2), 62. Ciches are both white and black.
1721–1800. Bailey, Cich or Cichpease, a sort of pulse. Cichlings, petty Ciches.
