freke

English

Alternative forms

• freak

Etymology

From Middle English freke (“a bold man, warrior, man, creature”), from Old English freca (“a bold man, warrior, hero”), from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Proto-Germanic *frekô (“an active or eagre man, warrior, wolf”), from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Proto-Germanic *frekaz (“active, bold, desirous, greedy”), from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Proto-Indo-European *(s)pereg- (“to shrug, be quick, twitch, splash, blast”). Akin with Old Norse freki (“greedy or avaricious one, a wolf”), Old High German freh (“eager”), Old English frēcne (“dangerous, daring, courageous, bold”).

Noun

freke (plural frekes or freken)

1. (obsolete) A brave man, a warrior, a man-at-arms
   • 1540, Destruction of Troy

     Þen found he no frekes to fraist on his strenght.

   • 1891, Henry Morley, A Bundle of Ballads:

     There was never a freke one foot would flee, but still in stour did stand.

2. (obsolete) A man; a human being; a person.
   • 1225, St. Katherine of Alexandria

     þes fifti, alle ferliche freken.

   • 1475, Book of Courtesy

     Go not forthe as a dombe freke.

3. (obsolete) A creature such as a giant, demon, angel
   • 1885, Richard F. Burton, The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night

     Bringing my love, for Time’s a freke of jealous strain; […]

References

• Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia, 1911, freke
• Middle English Dictionary, freke