wick

Meaning

Noun

1. (countable) A braid or bundle of fibre or other porous material (now generally twisted or woven cotton) in a candle, kerosene heater, oil lamp, etc., that draws up a liquid fuel (such as melted tallow or wax, or oil) at one end, to be ignited at the other end to produce a flame.
2. (uncountable) A braid or bundle of fibre or other porous material (now generally twisted or woven cotton) in a candle, kerosene heater, oil lamp, etc., that draws up a liquid fuel (such as melted tallow or wax, or oil) at one end, to be ignited at the other end to produce a flame.
3. (broadly, countable) A braid or bundle of fibre or other porous material (now generally twisted or woven cotton) in a candle, kerosene heater, oil lamp, etc., that draws up a liquid fuel (such as melted tallow or wax, or oil) at one end, to be ignited at the other end to produce a flame.
4. (countable, euphemistic, slang) Often in dip one's wick: the penis.

Verb

1. (transitive) Of a material (especially a textile): to convey or draw off (liquid) by capillary action.
2. (intransitive) Of a material: to convey or draw off liquid by capillary action.
3. (intransitive) Chiefly followed by through or up: of a liquid: to move by capillary action through a porous material.

Adj

Synonym of quick (“alive, living; also, active, lively”).

Verb

1. (England, transitive) To strike (a stationary bowl or stone) with one's own bowl or stone just enough that the former changes direction; to cannon.
2. (England, intransitive) To strike a stationary bowl or stone with one's own bowl or stone just enough that the former changes direction; to cannon.

Synonyms

fuse

candlewick

tinder

taper

lamp wick

fuze

filament

heart

❤️

igniter

inlet

kindling

lamp

lead

mantle

marrow

nucellus

pith

staple

stuffing

tampon

touch

touchwood

town

🏙️

village

hamlet

lantern wick

bosom

fusse

brand

close

cord

creek

dairy farm

Translations

mèche

Docht

stoppino

mecha

pit

lont

mecha

🔒

lucignolo

kousje

lampepit

φυτίλι

pavio

pabilo

φιτίλι

Pronounced as (IPA)

/wɪk/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: weke

Inherited from Old English: wēoce

Cognate with Western Frisian: wjok

Cognate with Dutch: wiek

Cognate with German: Wieche

Inherited from Middle English: wik

Inherited from Old English: wīc

Cognate with Old High German: wîch

Cognate with German: Weichbild

Cognate with Dutch: wijk

Cognate with Old Frisian: wik

Cognate with Old Saxon: wic

Cognate with Ancient Greek: οἶκος

Inherited from Old English: cwic

In summary

The noun is derived from Middle English wek, weke, wicke (“fibrous cord drawing fuel to flame of a candle, etc.; material used to make this object”), from Old English wēoce (“wick”), from Proto-West Germanic *weukā (“flax bundle; wick”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *weg- (“to weave”).
It has been suggested that noun sense 2 (“penis”) is derived from Hampton Wick, used as rhyming slang for prick. If so, that sense should be placed under etymology 2.
The verb is derived from the noun.
cognates
* Dutch wiek (“wick; wing; blade, propeller”)
* German Wieche (“wick; wisp”)
* Swedish veke (“wick”)
* West Frisian wjok, wjuk (“wing”)