v. Obs. Forms: 4–5 fitch(en, (ficchyn, fichch, fichene, fycche), ficche, fich, (5 fychch), 4–6 fych(e. [a. OF. fichier (mod.F. ficher) = Pr. ficar, Sp. hincar, fincar, ficar, Pg. fincar, ficar. It. ficcare: referred by Diez to a popular L. *fīgicare, extension of L. fīgĕre to FIX.]
1. trans. To fix, fasten, make firm, establish; both in a material and an immaterial sense.
c. 1340. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 656.
| Now alle þese fyue syþeȝ, forsoþe, were fetled on þis knyȝt, | |
| & vchone halched in oþer, þat none ende hade, | |
| & fyched vpon fyue poynteȝ. |
c. 1374. Chaucer, Boeth., II. iv. 45. Haue mynde certeynly to ficchyn þi house of a myrie site in a lowe stoone.
1382. Wyclif, Josh. iv. 3. In the place of tentis, where ȝe this nyȝt fitchen tentis.
1412–13. Hoccleve, Counsel to Hen. V., 9. God dreede and ficche in him your trust.
1430. Lydgate, Chronicle of Troy, V. xxxvi.
| For to fyche fynally the date, | |
| The threde to vntwine of his liues fate. |
c. 1477. Caxton, Jason, 94. Whan she hadde put al these thinges in a balaunce and fiched in her engyn she began to reconforte Medea.
[1530. Palsgr., 549/1. I Fyche (Lydgat), I stedye or make ferme or stedfaste, Je fiche. This terme is nat yet [i.e., no longer] admytted.]
b. To stud, furnish with something infixed.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, Catharina, 852.
| Foure quhelis gret þu gere mad be, | |
| of þe quhilkis þe felyis all | |
| with scharpe houkis fichit he sall. |
1413. Lydg., Pilgr. Sowle, III. iv. (1483), 52. The compas of this whele was fitched ful of hokes of yren.
2. To pierce, penetrate; lit. and fig.
1388. Wyclif, Ps. xxxiv. 16. Thei ben scaterid and not ficchid with sorewe.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 2098. Thay flitt fulle frescly þer frekez, ffichene with fetheris thurghe þe fyne maylez.
a. 1400[?]. Arthur, 462.
| Quarels, arwes, þey fly smerte; | |
| Þe fyched Men þruȝ heed & herte. |
Hence Ficching vbl. sb., in quot. concr. the place where anything is fixed, the ‘print.’
1382. Wyclif, John xx. 25. I schal se in his hondis the ficching of naylis.
