Sick Definition

Contents

• 1 English
  • 1.1 Etymology 1
    • 1.1.1 Pronunciation
    • 1.1.2 Adjective
      • 1.1.2.1 Synonyms
      • 1.1.2.2 Antonyms
      • 1.1.2.3 Derived terms
      • 1.1.2.4 Translations
    • 1.1.3 Noun
      • 1.1.3.1 Synonyms
      • 1.1.3.2 Translations
  • 1.2 Etymology 2
    • 1.2.1 Verb

English

Etymology 1

Middle English sek, sik, from Old English sēoc, from Proto-Germanic *seukaz (confer West Frisian siik, Dutch ziek, German siech), from Proto-Indo-European *seug- (“to be troubled or grieved”) (confer Middle Irish socht (“silence, depression”), Old Armenian հիւծանիմ (hiwcanim, “I am weakening”)).

Pronunciation

• enPR: sĭk, IPA: /sɪk/, SAMPA: /sIk/

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• Rhymes: -ɪk
• Homophones: sic

Adjective

sick (comparative sicker, superlative sickest)

1. In poor health

   She was sick all day with the flu

2. (colloquial) Mentally unstable, disturbed.
3. (colloquial) In bad taste.

   That's a sick joke.

   Dude that's a fully sick subwoofer!

4. Having an urge to vomit.
5. (slang) Very good, excellent, awesome.

   This tune is sick.

   Dude this car has a fully sick subwoofer!

6. In poor condition

   (sick building syndrome; my car is looking pretty sick; my job prospects are pretty sick)

Synonyms

• (in poor health): ill, not well, poorly (British), sickly, unwell
• (mentally unstable): disturbed, sick in the head, twisted, warped.
• (having an urge to vomit): nauseated, nauseous
• (slang: excellent): cool, rad, wicked
• See also Wikisaurus:diseased

Antonyms

• (in poor health): fit, healthy, well
• (excellent): crap, naff, uncool

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

the sick (collective noun)

1. Those people as a group who are sick.

   We have to cure the sick.

2. (colloquial) vomit.

   He lay there in a pool of his own sick.

Synonyms

• (vomit): See Wikisaurus:vomit

Translations

Etymology 2

Verb

sick (third-person singular simple present sicks, present participle sicking, simple past and past participle sicked)

1. (rare) Alternative spelling of sic.
   • 1920, James Oliver Curwood, "Back to God's Country"

     "Wapi," she almost screamed, "go back! Sick 'em, Wapi—sick 'em—sick 'em—sick 'em!"

   • 1938, Eugene Gay-Tifft, translator, The Saga of Frank Dover by Johannes Buchholtz, 2005 Kessinger Publishing edition, ISBN 141915222X, page 125,

     When we were at work swabbing the deck, necessarily barelegged, Pelle would sick the dog on us; and it was an endless source of pleasure to him when the dog succeeded in fastening its teeth in our legs and making the blood run down our ankles.

   • 1957, J. D. Salinger, "Zooey", in, 1961, Franny and Zooey, 1991 LB Books edition, page 154,

     "...is just something God sicks on people who have the gall to accuse Him of having created an ugly world."

   • 2001 (publication date), Anna Heilman, Never Far Away: The Auschwitz Chronicles of Anna Heilman, University of Calgary Press, ISBN 1552380408, page 82,

     Now they find a new entertainment: they sick the dog on us.

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