freck

plural frecks

1. Synonym of freckle (“a small brownish or reddish pigmentation spot on the surface of the skin; any small spot which has a different colour from its background”).

   The eggs [of the pine grosbeak] vary much, both in size and colouring; […] ground-colour pale blue-green, blotched and streaked with light purple and burnt umber spots and frecks; […]

   1866 June, the Old Bushman [pseudonym], “The Waxwing, the Pine Grosbeak, and the Crossbills”, in The Intellectual Observer: Review of Natural History, Microscopic Research and Recreative Science, volume IX, number V, London: Groombridge and Sons […], →OCLC, page 349

   Synonyms: freckle

present singular third person frecks · participle present frecking · participle past frecked · past frecked · alternative freak

1. Chiefly followed by with.
   1. To cover (someone or something) with small marks or spots; to dapple, to freckle, to speckle.

      There ſhee a bloodleſſe Statue ſate, all freckt; / Her ſpotted minde the Marble did infect.

      1626, Ovid, “The Second Booke”, in George Sandys, transl., Ovid’s Metamorphosis Englished […], London: […] William Stansby, →OCLC, page 43

      4 more examples

      The tufted Crovv-toe, and pale Geſſamine, / The vvhite Pink, and the Panſie freakt vvith jeat, / The glovving Violet.

      1637 (date written; published 1638), John Milton, “Lycidas”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], published 1646, →OCLC, page 63

      Sables, of gloſſy black; and dark-embrovvn'd, / Or beauteous freakt vvith many a mingled hue, / Thouſands beſides, the coſtly pride of courts.

      a. 1749 (date written), James Thomson, “Winter”, in The Seasons, London: […] A[ndrew] Millar, and sold by Thomas Cadell, […], published 1768, →OCLC, page 193, lines 813–815

      The painted windows, frecking gloom with glow, / Dusking the sunshine which they seem to cheer, / Meet symbol of the senses and the soul; […]

      1869 December (indicated as 1870 January), James Russell Lowell, “The Cathedral”, in James Thomas Fields, editor, The Atlantic Monthly: A Magazine of Literature, Science, Art, and Politics, volume XXV, number CXLVII, Boston, Mass.: Fields, Osgood, & Co., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 6

      The sky's unresting cloudland, […] / [N]ow parcelling the icy inane / highspredd in fine diaper of silver and mother-of-pearl / freaking the intense azure; […]

      1929, Robert Bridges, “Book I: Introduction”, in The Testament of Beauty: A Poem […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 13, lines 277 and 283–285

      Synonyms: fleck, maculate, mottle, spot, variegate

   2. figurativelyTo scatter objects over (something).

      The eve put on her sweetest shroud, / The summer-dress she's often in, / Freck'd with white and purple cloud, / Dappled like a leopard's skin; […]

      1821, John Clare, “[Poems.] Rosy Jane.”, in The Village Minstrel, and Other Poems, volume II, London: […] [T. Miller] for Taylor and Hessey, […]; and E[dward] Drury, […], →OCLC, page 3

comparative more freck · superlative most freck · alternative frack

1. Northern EnglandarchaicNot showing proper respect; impertinent, impudent.
2. ScotlandarchaicBold, brave, courageous.

   "There was none to challenge him but old Keltie, and the carrier Auchtermuchty," replied Randal; "unlikely men to slay one of the frackest youths in Scotland of his years, and who was sure to have friends and partakers at no great distance."

   1820, [Walter Scott], chapter VII, in The Abbot. […], volume III, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne & Co.] for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […]; and for Archibald Constable and Company, and John Ballantyne, […], →OCLC, pages 221–222

3. ScotlandarchaicPhysically active and healthy; robust, vigorous.

   [H]e's a freck aul' body at his age.

   1887, John Service, “Doctor Gibson o’ Beith”, in The Life and Recollections of Doctor Duguid of Kilwinning. […], Edinburgh: Young J. Pentland, →OCLC, book II (Jenny Whalbert’s Cracks), page 210

   Synonyms: all oak and iron bound, buxom, fit, hail, hale, hale and hearty, healthy, in the pink of health

4. ScotlandarchaicOften followed by for or to: eager to do something; also, quick to act when an opportunity arises; prompt.

   Ae stride or twa took the silly auld carle, / ⁠An' a gude lang stride took he. / I trow thou art a freck auld carle, / ⁠Wilt thou show the way to me?

   A stride or two took the silly old carle [fellow], / And a good long stride took he. / I trow [trust] thou art an eager old carle, / Wilt thou show the way to me?

   [1825, Allan Cunningham, “The Young Maxwell”, in The Songs of Scotland, Ancient and Modern; […], volume III (in Scots), London: […] [Thomas Davison] for John Taylor, […], →OCLC, stanza 1, page 209

   1 more example

   ["][T]his brother of thine, who is so frack, as the fellow called him, bears he the same wonderful likeness to thee as formerly?" / "If your Grace means in temper, you know whether I am so frack as the serving-man spoke him." / "Nay, thou art prompt enough in all reasonable conscience," replied the Queen; […]

   1820, [Walter Scott], chapter VII, in The Abbot. […], volume III, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne & Co.] for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […]; and for Archibald Constable and Company, and John Ballantyne, […], →OCLC, page 225