adj. (colloquial).—In its primary, extended, and old literary sense (as in the Bible and Shakespeare), SICK (= disabled by disease or bad health) now borders on the colloquial, having been superseded by “ill,” whilst SICK is confined to vomiting or nausea. There are also exceptional usages. Thus SICK (= muddy) WINE; SICK (= stale) FISH; A SICK HAND (at cards, esp. whist = without trumps); A SICK (= pale) LOOK; A SICK (= ruffled) TEMPER, &c. Also, ‘IT MAKES ME SICK (or GIVES ME THE SICK)’ = ‘I am disgusted with it’; SICK AS A HORSE (DOG, RAT, CAT, CUSHION, or what not) = sick as may be (GROSE); SICK OF THE IDLES (THE LOMBARD FEVER, or THE IDLE CRICK AND THE BELLY WORK IN THE HEEL, RAY) = ‘a pretence to be idle upon no apparent cause’; TO SPEAK IN THE SICK TUNE = to affect sickness; SICKLY (adv.) = untoward or disgusting; SICKREL (B. E.) = ‘a puny, sickly Creature.’ Also (American) = lacking, in need of: as paint-SICK, nail-SICK: cf. HOME-SICK, MOTHER-SICK, SLEEP-SICK, &c. Likewise (venery) SITTING UP WITH A SICK FRIEND = an excuse for marital absence all night.
1600. SHAKESPEARE, Much Ado about Nothing, iii. 4, 44. Why, how now? Do you speak in the SICK TUNE?
1626. SYLVESTER, Du Bartas, I. 7. Such a SLEEP-SICK Elf.
1693. CONGREVE, The Old Batchelor, ii. 3. I swear you’d MAKE ONE SICK to hear you.
1708–10. SWIFT, Polite Conversation, i. Poor Miss, she’s SICK AS A CUSHION, she wants nothing but stuffing.
1759. STERNE, Tristram Shandy, VII. ii. I am SICK AS A HORSE, quoth I, already.
1854. E. S. SHEPPARD, Counterparts, Induction, 7. The Shelley [a boat], she lays down at X, SICK OF PAINT.
1870. J. K. MEDBERY, Men and Mysteries of Wall Street, 137. A SICK market; the market is Ill. When brokers very generally hesitate to buy.
1888. Daily News, 4 Dec. When the barrel came to his place from Burton it was in a very dull condition, and was what was known as SICK.
1889. Rialto, 23 March. Even Kaffirs raised their SICKLY heads.
1890. Harper’s Weekly, xxxiv. 19 July, 554. My boat’s kinder giv’ out. She ain’t nothin’ more’n NAIL-SICK, though.
1895. R. POCOCK, The Rules of the Game, I. i. I’ve quit reading lest I should find myself in print. MAKES ME SICK!
1897. W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM, Liza of Lambeth, i. It GIVES ME THE SICK.
1900. KIPLING, Stalky & Co., 25. Keep your eye on King, and, if he gives us a chance, appeal to the Head. That always MAKES ’EM SICK.
1900. F. E. GRAINGER (‘Headon Hill’), Caged! xxxiv. You MAKE ME SICK with your silly fears.
