Obs. exc. Sc. Forms: α. 1 frec, 3 frech, south. vrech, 4 freck, -kk(e, 4–5 frek(e, (5 freik), 8–9 Sc. freck. β. Sc. 6–7 frak, 6–9 frack. [Com. Teut.: OE. frec, fric, fræc = OHG. freh covetous, greedy (MHG. vrech courageous, Ger. frech bold, insolent), ON. frekr greedy (Sw. frack daring, Da. fræk), Goth. (faihu) friks (fee-)greedy, covetous. Cf. FRIKE a., which seems to have been confused with this word.]

1

  1.  Desirous, eager, prompt, quick, ready. Const. gen. (OE. only) to with sb. or vb. in inf. To make freck: to make ready.

2

a. 1000.  Boeth. Metr., viii. 15. Hwæt, hi firenlusta frece ne wæron.

3

c. 1205.  Lay., 9418.

        To heo eoden alle afoten
& swiðe freche weoren.

4

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 5198 (Cott.). To bidd hast now es nan sa frek.

5

1352.  Political Poems (Rolls), I. 68.

        With lordes, and with knightes kene,
And other doghty men bydene,
  That war ful frek to fight.

6

c. 1450.  Life of St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 4440.

        Þir frendly wordes made Elfride fayne;
he was freke his name to frayne.

7

1560–78.  Bk. Discipl. Ch. Scot. (1621), Pref. First few, since many, & all faithfull, holy, wise, frack to preach the Gospell in Scotland, as in another Antiochia.

8

a. 1572.  Knox, Hist. Ref., Wks. (1846), I. 104. The merchantis maid frack to saill, and to thare trafique, which by the truble of warris, had some yearis bein hindered.

9

1819.  W. Tennant, Papistry Storm’d (1827), 119.

        Hae ye your man by acht o’clock,
A’ frack and furnish’t for the shock.

10

1820.  Scott, Abbot, xxxiv. If your Grace means in temper, you know whether I am so frack as the serving-man spoke him.

11

  b.  In bad sense: Greedy, gluttonous; also, keen for mischief.

12

c. 950.  Lindisfarne Gospels, Matt. xi. 19. Heonu monn fric.

13

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 128. Þe uox is ec a wrecche urech best, & fret swuðe wel mid alle.

14

c. 1275.  Sinners Beware! 106, in O. E. Misc., 75.

        Ac sathanas þe frecche
Þe saule wule drecche,
    Hwanne he agult habbeþ.

15

  2.  Lusty, strong, vigorous.

16

1500–20.  Dunbar, Poems, liii. 23.

        Than cam in Dunbar the Mackar;
On all the flwre thair was nane frackar.

17

1569.  in Napier, Mem. (1793), 127. Thou art the frackest felow amang them.

18

1820.  Scott, Abbot, xxxiv. Unlikely men to slay one of the frackest youths in Scotland of his years.

19