Chiefly dial. [A variant of CLEEK with shortened vowel: cf. sick = ME. sēke, wick, in Spenser weeke, etc. Phonetically, it might also be the northern form of CLITCH.] trans. (rarely intr.) To clutch, snatch, seize, lay hold of; = CLEEK. Also with up.
1674. Ray, N. C. Words, Klick up, to catch up, celeriter corripere. Ibid. (1691), Click, arripere.
c. 1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, Click, to snatch. ‘I have Clickt the Nab from the Cull,’ I whipt the Hat from the Man’s Head.
1716. T. Ward, Eng. Ref., 353. The Vicar … Clickt up a Rail, that they had broke. Ibid., IV. 397 (D.). ‘I take ’em to prevent abuses,’ Cants he, and then the Crucifix And Chalice from the Altar clicks.
1788. W. Marshall, E. Yorksh. Gloss. (E. D. S.), Click, to snatch hastily or rudely.
1765. Univ. Mag., XXXVII. 40/1. I clik’d a fancy to you.
1863. Mrs. Toogood, Yorksh. Dial., Click hold of him.
1877. E. Peacock, N. W. Linc. Gloss., Click, to snatch…. Mud is said to click up when it adheres in large flakes to the feet.
fig. 1680. H. More, Apocal. Apoc., 283. To disarm my Antagonist of several arguments that he clicks up upon a false Supposition.
Click, obs. form of CLIQUE.
