Forms: α. 5 tikke, tykk(e, 6 tycke, 6–7 ticke, 6– tick; β. 5–6 teke, 7 teike; γ. (chiefly Sc.) 5– tyke, 6 tyik, 6– tike. [Known from 15th c., in the forms tikke, tēke, tȳke; the second corresp. to MLG. and MDu. têke (mod.EFris. têk, Doornkaat-Koolman), cognate with OHG. ziahha, ziecha, MHG., Ger. zieche bed-tick, pillow-case; the third to MDu. tîke, tijcke, Du. tijk. These forms point to an earlier WGer. *tēka, and later *tīka, both a. L. tēca, thēca, a. Gr. θήκη case, whence also F. teie, taie, obs. Eng. TAY, TEY. The short vowel in tykke, tikke, ticke, tick, is prob. as in rick, sick, wick.]
The case or cover containing feathers, flocks, or the like, forming a mattress or pillow; also, from 16th c., applied to the strong hard linen or cotton material used for making such cases.
α. 1466. Mann. & Househ. Exp. (Roxb.), 362. For iij. tykkes [pr. tylkes] and bolsteres to the same fore federbeddes.
1480. Wardr. Acc. Edw. IV. (1830), 118. To Lisbet Ketiller for a grete tikke xxxijs.
1530. Palsgr., 281/1. Ticke for a fetherbed, coite de lit.
1569. Wills & Inv. N. C. (Surtees), I. 311. One fether bed, the tycke therof I dyd by.
1586. Rates of Custome, E viij b. Ticks called Brussel ticks, the Tick xiij.s. iiij.d.
1636. Althorp. MS., in Simpkinson, Washingtons (1860), App. p. lxxvii. For 2 feat her bed ticks for Alexander.
1743. Phil. Trans., XLII. 367. Those Ticks and Pillow-biers covering the Matresses and Pillows.
1812. W. Tennant, Anster F., II. xxviii. Dunfermline, too, so fam’d checks and ticks.
1842. S. Lover, Handy Andy, vi. The deep pocket of blue striped tick which hung at her side.
β. 1494. Fabyan, Chron., VII. 414. And of federbeddes [they] rypped the tekys.
1570. Levins, Manip., 54/25. Ye Teke of a bed, teca culcitaria.
c. 1615. in Walcott, William of Wykeham (1852), 167. 3 yeards of teike for a boulster.
γ. 1495. in Pitcairn, Crim. Trials, I. 20*. iij le tykis de feddirbeddis.
1502. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., II. 295. For tua tikis of feddir beddis to hir.
1534. Inv. Wardr. Kath. Arragon, in Camden Misc. (1855), 31. A paliotte of Brusells tyke filled with bastardedowne.
1545. Rates of Custome, C vij. Tikes for beddes the dossen xxxvj.s. Tikes the pece iij.s.
1573–80. Baret, Alv., T 241. The tike of a bed: a featherbed.
1580. Aberdeen Regr. (1848), II. 36. Auchtene codvarris witht sextene tyikis.
1618. Sir R. Boyle, in Lismore Papers (1886), I. 191. I bought 2 fetherbed tykes.
1806. Forsyth, Beauties Scotl., III. 146. The children sleep in beds … with tikes filled with straw.
b. Used for the bed or bolster itself: as, “That’s the tyke or tyken o’ the bed: a guid feather tyke or tyken [= tyking]”’ (Suppl. to Jamieson, 1887).
More distinctively tyke o’ bed, or tyke-a-bed.
