Obs. Forms: 3 fikele, 4 fyckel, fykel, 6 fykkle; also 3 vikel(i. [frequentative of FIKE v.; cf. Ger. dial. ficheln (Grimm) in same sense.] intr. To flatter. Also to fickle with.

1

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 84. Þe vikelare ablent þene mon & put him preon in eien, þæt he mid vikeleð.

2

1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 845.

        Þis was þo þe gode doȝter · þat nolde vikeli noȝt,
Ofte þing þat is ivikeled · to worse ende is broȝt.

3

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVIII. xxvii. (1495), 787. A hounde ofte fyckelyth and fawnyth wyth his taylle on men.

4

1537.  St. Papers Hen. VIII., II. 480. They goo aboute to fykkle with Iryshe men.

5

  Hence Fickllng vbl. sb., flattery; Fickling ppl. a. Also Fickler, a flatterer.

6

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 86. Uikelares beoð þreo kunnes. Ibid., 82. Attri speche is eresie & þwertouer leasunge, bacbitunge, & fikelunge. Ibid., 224. To wenen þet hit were uikelunge ȝif heo speke ueire. Ibid., 257. Leouere me beoð hire wunden þen uikiinde [v.r. fikelinde] cosses.

7

a. 1240.  Sawles Warde, in Cott. Hom., 253. Of þeos fikelinde world.

8

1297.  R. Glouc. (1724), 30. Heo no kouþe of no fikelyng, and ne onswerede not so.

9