keckish

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English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From keck (to retch) +‎ -ish.

Adjective[edit]

keckish (comparative more keckish, superlative most keckish)

  1. (rare) having a tendency to retch or vomit
    • 1883, originally 1603, Philemon Holland, Plutarch:
      Inordinate passion of vomiting, called cholera, is nothing different from a keckish stomach and a desire to cast, but only according to augmentation.
    • 1812, William Beloe, Anecdotes of literature and scarce books - Volume 6:
      " [] If the queasie stomach must have the pills, they must be either guilded, that children may so please the eye as not to suspect the physicke, or sugard well, that the keckish palat may gulpe downe the cure before it feeles the sower."
    • 1834, John Peacock (M.D.), Practical hints on the treatment of several diseases:
      He Was often confined in his bowels for which he had to take medicine; and as his stomach Was not at all keckish, antimon. tart. formed a considerable portion of his aperient.
    • 1843, Faust, a tragedy, tr. into Engl. verse by J. Birch, with engr. after M. Retszch, Volume 1:
      That on his forehead might be seen — He had not else so keckish been.