Chiefly Sc. and north. dial. Forms: 4, 5, 7–9 fyke, (6 fyk), 3, 7– fike. [? a. ON. fíkja (rare in Icel.) = MSw. fíkja to move briskly, be restless or eager. Cf. ON. fíkenn eager. See FIG v.3, FITCH v., FIDGE v.]

1

  1.  intr. To move restlessly, bustle, fidget; fig. to be fussy or restless, vex oneself. Also, to flinch, shrink. To fike and fling: to caper about; also fig.

2

c. 1200.  Bestiary, 656.

        Fikeð and fondeð al his miȝt
ne mai he it forðen no wiȝt.

3

c. 1325.  Coer de L., 4749.

        The Sarazynes fledde, away gunne fyke,
The Crystenes folwe, sley, and styke.

4

c. 1340.  Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 2274. Nawþer fyked I, ne flaȝe, freke, quen þou myntest.

5

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 160/1. Fykin a-bowte.

6

1595.  Burel, Pilgr., in Watson, Collect. Scots Poems, II. 26.

        The bee now seiks his byke,
Quhils stinging, quhils flinging,
From hole to hole did fyke.

7

1697.  W. Cleland, Poems, 105.

        But we forsooth must fyke and fling,
And make our Pulpits sound and ring
With bulkie words, against the Test;
And now we see the day I guest.

8

1786.  Burns, On a Scotch Bard, 17.

        O Fortune, they hae room to grumble!
Hadst thou taen’ aff some drowsy bummle
Wha can do nought but fyke an’ fumble.

9

1801.  H. MacNeill, Poems (1844), 88.

        Nae langer grane nor fyke, nor daidle,
But brandish ye the—lang-shanked ladle.

10

1818.  Scott, Hrt. Midl., x. I hae often wondered that only ane that ever been a knee for the right purpose, should ever daur to crook a hough to fyke and fling at piper’s wind and fiddler’s squealing.

11

1825.  Brockett, N.-C. Words, Fike, to fidget, to be restless.

12

1883.  Mrs. Oliphant, Wizard’s Son, vii. If old Blairallan comes fyking, ye can say I am giving the case my best attention.

13

  b.  To dally, flirt.

14

1804.  Tarras, Poems, 58.

        No to fike wi’ yon wild hizzie,
  Janet’s dochter i’ the glen.

15

  2.  trans. To vex, trouble. To fike one’s noddle: to trouble one’s head. Also, to shrug (the shoulders).

16

1572.  in Satir. Poems Reform., xxxi. 124.

        Blind Jamie tauld me ells
That quyetly yai news did fyk yame.

17

1806–80.  Jamieson, ‘This will fike him.’

18

1809.  Christmas Ba’ing, in J. Skinner, Misc. Poetry, 123.

        Some baith thair shou’ders up did fyke,
  For blythness some did flirr
            Their teeth that day.

19

1837.  R. Nicoll, Poems (1843), 263.

        It snoozes on thro’ rain and snaw,
      Nor fykes its noddle!

20