subs. (old and still colloquial).—1.  A mischievous child; a half-chiding endearment; ‘a little sorry Fellow’ (B. E. and GROSE): also (2) an elf, fairy, or sprite: popularly supposed to take the form of a hedgehog, the original meaning. Hence as adj. = (1) roguish, mischievous; and (2) trifling, foolish, trumpery.

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  1528.  ROY and BARLOW, Rede me and be nott wrothe [ARBER, 43].

        I trowe the VRCHYN will clyme
  To some promocion hastely.

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  1596.  SHAKESPEARE, Merry Wives of Windsor, iv. 4. Like URCHINS, ouphes and fairies. Ibid. (1609), Tempest, i. 2. 326. URCHINS shall … all exercise on thee.

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  1634.  MILTON, Comus, 845. URCHIN blasts and ill-luck signs.

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  1692.  J. HACKET, Life of Archbishop Williams, ii. 91. Our Bishop … made himself merry with the conceit, how easie it was to stride over such URCHIN articles. No man would find leisure to read the whole 36, they are so frivolous.

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  d. 1721.  PRIOR, Venus Mistaken. And who’s blind now, mamma? the URCHIN cry’d.

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  1800.  WORDSWORTH, Michael. There stood the URCHIN as you will divine.

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